I first became a notary in the late 90s and not surprisingly, the requirements haven’t changed much over 20 years later. Here is the list of requirements everyone must meet in order to become a notary in California:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a legal resident of California or have a principal place of business in the state
- Complete a California Secretary of State-approved notary public education course
- Pass a written examination administered by the Secretary of State
- Obtain a $15,000 surety bond from a licensed surety company
- Complete and submit a notary public application to the Secretary of State
- Obtain a set of fingerprints and pass a background check
- Obtain a notary seal and a journal to record all notarial acts
The commission received is good for 4 years, therefore, we must also renew our commission every 4 years and complete a six-hour refresher course. There is no specific educational background needed or prior experience, although in my case, working at a title company under an escrow officer gave me a solid understanding of the job before I pursued my commission.