California Notary Public ExamJournal RequirementsMedium
A Notary Public's commission expires. Within what timeframe must the Notary Public surrender all official journals to the office of the county clerk in which their current official bond is filed?
- AWithin 10 days of expiration.
- BWithin 30 days of expiration.
- CWithin 90 days of expiration.
- DWithin 15 days of expiration.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Within 30 days of expiration.
California Government Code Section 8209(b) requires that a Notary Public, upon expiration of their commission, surrender all notarial journals to the office of the county clerk in which their current official bond is filed within 30 days.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 10 days is the timeframe for reporting a lost/stolen journal to law enforcement, not for surrender.
- C. 90 days is incorrect; this timeframe is sometimes associated with other notary processes but not journal surrender after expiration.
- D. 15 days is incorrect; there is no specific notary deadline of this length for journal surrender.
Journal Surrender (Commission Expiration)
Upon the expiration of their commission, a California Notary Public must surrender all official journals to the county clerk's office where their bond is filed within 30 days.
- Applies upon commission expiration.
- Journals must be surrendered to the county clerk.
- Deadline is 30 days.
- Also applies upon resignation, removal from office, or death (by personal representative).
Memory trick: Commission 'ends', journals 'send' within '30' days to the 'clerk'.