A notary public commission is the official authorization issued by the California Secretary of State granting a person the power to perform notarial acts. Each commission is valid for a four-year term (Government Code §8204). To obtain a commission, an applicant must: (1) be 18 years or older; (2) be a legal California resident; (3) complete a state-approved education course (6 hours for new applicants; 3 hours for current renewals); (4) pass a proctored written examination; (5) submit Live Scan fingerprints; and (6) file an oath of office and a $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk within 30 days of the commission's commencement date.
Failure to file the oath and bond within 30 days voids the commission entirely — the applicant must reapply from the beginning.
Exam Tip: The 30-day clock starts from the commencement date printed on the commission, not the date the applicant receives the commission packet in the mail.
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