California Notary Public ExamJournal RequirementsMedium
A California Notary Public's journal is stolen. What is the maximum civil penalty for failing to notify the Secretary of State 'immediately' of the loss or theft?
- A$1,500
- B$500
- C$2,500
- D$1,000
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. $1,500
California Government Code Section 8206(d) specifies that a Notary Public who fails to notify the Secretary of State 'immediately' of the loss or theft of their journal is subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).
Why the other options are wrong
- B. $500 is incorrect; this is a common penalty for other notary infractions but not for this specific failure.
- C. $2,500 is incorrect; this is the penalty for other serious notary violations like false certification.
- D. $1,000 is incorrect; the penalty is higher.
Journal Loss/Theft SOS Notification Penalty
A California Notary Public faces a maximum civil penalty of $1,500 for failing to notify the Secretary of State 'immediately' of the loss or theft of their official journal.
- Notification to SOS is mandatory.
- Must be done 'immediately'.
- Penalty for failure is up to $1,500.
Memory trick: Journal gone? '15 hundred' fine if SOS doesn't know 'now'.