California Notary Public ExamJournal RequirementsMedium
A Notary Public's journal is lost or stolen. In addition to notifying the Secretary of State, what is the maximum civil penalty for failing to notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency?
- A$500
- B$1,000
- C$2,500
- D$1,500
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. $1,500
California Government Code Section 8206(d) states that a Notary Public who fails to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency within 10 days 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
- A. $500 is incorrect; this is a common penalty for other notary infractions but not for this specific failure.
- B. $1,000 is incorrect; the penalty is higher.
- C. $2,500 is incorrect; this is the penalty for other serious notary violations like false certification.
Journal Loss/Theft Law Enforcement Notification Penalty
A California Notary Public faces a maximum civil penalty of $1,500 for failing to notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency within 10 days of the loss or theft of their official journal.
- Notification to law enforcement is mandatory.
- Must be done within 10 days.
- Penalty for failure is up to $1,500.
Memory trick: Journal gone? '15 hundred' fine if police don't know.