The venue is the portion of a notarial certificate — appearing at the top — that states the geographic location where the notarization was performed. It typically reads: "State of California, County of _____." The county entered must be the county where the notary was physically located when performing the act, not the county where the notary's oath is on file, and not the county where the document will be filed or recorded.
If a venue on a pre-printed certificate is incorrect, the notary must correct it before completing the notarization.
Exam Tip: The venue reflects where the notarization happened, not where the notary is commissioned or where the document will be filed. A California notary has statewide jurisdiction and may notarize anywhere in California — the venue must accurately reflect the actual county of performance.
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