California Notary Public ExamNotary Public Duties and AuthorityHard
A Notary Public is presented with a document containing a completed notarial certificate from another state. The signer requests that the California Notary simply affix their seal and signature to the existing certificate. What should the Notary do?
- AAffix their seal and signature, but cross out the out-of-state venue information and insert California's.
- BAffix their seal and signature if the out-of-state certificate is an acknowledgment, but not a jurat.
- CRefuse to affix their seal and signature to an out-of-state certificate and attach a new California certificate.
- DAffix their seal and signature, as long as the certificate wording seems generally correct.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Refuse to affix their seal and signature to an out-of-state certificate and attach a new California certificate.
A California Notary Public must use only California-compliant notarial certificate wording. They cannot complete, alter, or attach their seal to an out-of-state certificate. The correct procedure is to attach a new, properly worded California certificate (acknowledgment or jurat, as appropriate) to the document.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Altering an existing certificate or using non-California wording is prohibited. This would be improper.
- B. The rule applies to all notarial acts; the type of act does not change the requirement for California-compliant wording.
- D. Notaries cannot use non-California compliant certificate wording, regardless of how 'correct' it seems.
California Notarial Certificate Wording
California Notaries Public must use only certificate wording that complies with California law for all notarial acts. They cannot use or attach their seal to out-of-state or non-compliant certificates.
- Specific wording required for acknowledgments and jurats.
- Must attach a new California certificate if existing one is non-compliant.
- Prohibits altering non-California certificates.
Memory trick: California's certificates are its own, no foreign stamps allowed.