CA NOTARY Study Guide 2026

If the notary personally knows one credible witness and that witness personally knows the signer, one witness is sufficient to identify the signer.

California law defines satisfactory evidence as an acceptable ID document or the oath of one or two credible witnesses who personally know the signer.

California Government Code Section 8230 includes identification cards issued by federally recognized tribal governments as acceptable forms of ID.

A notary journal is a mandatory official record where a notary public must log details of every notarization performed. This journal serves as a crucial audit trail, documenting information such as the date, time, type of notarization, document title, and signer identification. It is essential for preventing fraud and protecting both the public and the notary.

If the seal impression is illegible, the notary should re-stamp it in a clear area on the certificate to ensure a photographically reproducible impression is present.

California defines personal knowledge as a familiarity with the individual through prior dealings that gives the notary reasonable certainty of the person's identity.