A California notary renewal isn’t really a renewal — the state issues you a brand-new four-year commission, which means fresh education, a new exam, new fingerprints, a new application, and a new oath and bond filing. Start three to four months before your current commission expires so nothing slips past a deadline.
When to Start
The Secretary of State will not issue your new commission earlier than 30 days before your current one ends, but every prerequisite has to be finished before that window opens.1California Secretary of State. California Notary Newsletter – November 2025 The state recommends sitting for the exam at least six weeks before your expiration date so the office has time to process your packet and mail the new commission without a gap.2California Secretary of State. Await Commission Packet
Work backward from that six-week exam target. You need time to finish the education course and schedule a Live Scan appointment beforehand. Three to four months out is a realistic starting point. Your education certificate is good for two years from the application date and your exam score is valid for one year, so there is a little flexibility built in.1California Secretary of State. California Notary Newsletter – November 2025
Take the Three-Hour Refresher Course
If you completed the initial six-hour course during a prior term, a three-hour refresher is enough to reapply — but only if you submit your application before your current commission expires.3California Legislative Information. California Code GOV 8201 – Notaries Public Once your commission has lapsed, the refresher no longer qualifies and you have to take the full six-hour course again.4California Secretary of State. Notary Frequently Asked Questions
Both formats are available online or in a live classroom through state-approved providers. When you finish, the provider issues a Proof of Completion certificate. Keep it. You bring it to the exam and attach it to your application.
Get New Live Scan Fingerprints
A new set of fingerprints is required for every commission term. You submit them electronically through Live Scan, which routes your prints to the California Department of Justice and the FBI for review. If the background check is still pending when the rest of your application is ready, the Secretary of State holds your commission until the results come back.5California Secretary of State. Current Processing Dates
Any certified Live Scan vendor can take the prints. Bring a valid photo ID. Costs come in two parts: a state and federal processing fee (currently around $49 combined for the DOJ and FBI portions) and a separate rolling fee that varies by vendor. Total costs typically run $65 to $90. Schedule this early so the results are in the system before you sit for the exam.
Pass the Written Exam and Submit Your Packet
Every reappointing notary retakes the Secretary of State’s written examination, no matter how many terms they have served. The test is 45 multiple-choice questions and you need at least 70 percent — 32 correct — to pass.
You register through the Secretary of State’s office and bring the following to the testing site:
- The current Notary Public Application, completed in advance
- A valid government-issued photo ID
- Your Proof of Completion certificate from the three-hour or six-hour course
- The $40 application fee, payable by check or money order only — no cash, no cards6California Secretary of State. Forms, Services, and Fees
Everything is submitted at the exam site after you pass. There is nothing to mail separately afterward. If you fail, you can retake the exam for a $20 fee.
Application Details That Cause Rejections
A few spots on the Notary Public Application send packets back. A two-inch by two-inch color passport-style photo must be printed or attached to the form. Your business address has to be a physical location; no P.O. boxes and no commercial mailboxes.7Secretary of State. Notary Public Application
The commission name section causes more trouble than people expect. The legal last name on your application must match the last name on your identification. If your ID includes a suffix like Jr. or III, it needs to appear on the application. Whatever you write here is what will be engraved on your new seal and printed on your commission, so check it twice before you hand it in.
File Your Oath and Bond Within 30 Days
Your commission does not take effect until you file an oath of office and a $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk in the county where your principal place of business is located. You have 30 calendar days from the start date printed on your commission to complete the filing, and the deadline cannot be extended for any reason.8California Legislative Information. California Code GOV 8213 – Notaries Public Miss the window and the commission is void. You start over from scratch.
You buy the surety bond from an insurance company or surety bond provider, not from the county clerk. A standard $15,000 notary bond usually costs $40 to $100 depending on the provider and your credit history, and it covers the full four-year term. Have the bond in hand before you visit the county clerk so you can file the oath and bond in one trip. Bring valid ID to take the oath.9California Secretary of State. File Notary Public Oath and Bond
This is where most reappointments quietly fail. The course was completed, the exam passed, the application approved, and then the commission packet sits on a desk for five weeks. Mark the 30-day deadline on your calendar the day the packet arrives.
Order a New Seal, and Deal With the Old One
Your seal carries your commission number and expiration date, so you need a new one each term. You can only order from an authorized manufacturer listed by the Secretary of State, and the manufacturer will ask for the Certificate of Authorization that arrives inside your commission packet.10California Secretary of State. Notary Seal Manufacturer Guidelines Stop using your old seal the moment the new commission takes effect; the information on it no longer matches.
State law requires you to destroy the old seal so it cannot be used fraudulently. Cut or deface the rubber stamp face so no legible impression can be made.4California Secretary of State. Notary Frequently Asked Questions Your journal is different. It doesn’t reset with a new commission. You keep one active sequential journal at a time and it carries over from one term into the next.11California Legislative Information. California Code GOV 8206 – Notaries Public The journal is your personal property and should never be surrendered to an employer, even one who paid for it.
What Happens If Your Commission Lapses
Letting the commission expire before finishing reappointment triggers three consequences at once. The three-hour refresher no longer qualifies, so you have to take the full six-hour course as a first-time applicant would.4California Secretary of State. Notary Frequently Asked Questions More time, more cost.
If more than 30 days pass after expiration without reappointment, you are legally required to deliver all of your notarial records and papers to the county clerk where your oath of office is filed, and to destroy your seal.4California Secretary of State. Notary Frequently Asked Questions Once the journal is with the clerk, you no longer have access to your own records.
You also cannot perform any notarial acts during a gap between commissions. Anything you notarize while expired is invalid, and continuing to act as a notary without an active commission exposes you to liability. A lapsed commission is not just an inconvenience; it creates a legal duty to turn in your records and puts you back at the start of the process.