California Notary Public ExamFees and Miscellaneous ProvisionsMedium
A Notary Public's commission is expiring. They wish to resign their commission before the expiration date. Which of the following actions is legally required when resigning a California Notary Public commission?
- ADeliver all Notary journals and official seal to the Secretary of State.
- BPublish a notice of resignation in a local newspaper.
- CNotify the county clerk of the resignation.
- DReturn the Notary seal to the vendor who supplied it.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Deliver all Notary journals and official seal to the Secretary of State.
Upon resignation, a California Notary Public must deliver all their Notary journals and the official seal to the Secretary of State within 30 days of the effective date of resignation.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Publishing a notice of resignation is not a statutory requirement for California Notaries.
- C. Notifying the county clerk is not the primary requirement for resignation; the SOS is the correct entity.
- D. The seal must be delivered to the Secretary of State, not returned to the vendor.
Notary Resignation Procedure
The legally mandated steps a California Notary Public must follow when formally resigning their commission.
- Involves specific notification.
- Requires surrender of official items.
- Ensures proper record-keeping and prevents misuse.
Memory trick: Resigning means handing over your seal and books to the State.