A notarial certificate is the written documentation of a notarial act, completed and signed by the notary public. It must contain: (1) the venue (state and county), (2) the date of the notarial act, (3) the name(s) of the person(s) appearing, (4) the type of notarial act performed, (5) the notary's signature, and (6) the notary's official seal.
California law prohibits a notary from affixing their signature and seal to an incomplete or blank notarial certificate. Doing so is a willful violation subject to a maximum civil penalty of $1,500 (Government Code §8214.15).
Exam Tip: A notary must complete the certificate at the time the seal is affixed — never in advance, never after the fact, and never with blanks to be filled in later. If a pre-printed certificate contains the wrong venue or date, the notary must correct it before signing.
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