California Notary Public Practice and Procedures
The Act in Order
For every notarial act, run the same sequence: confirm the signer's presence, verify identity through satisfactory evidence (a current ID with photo and signature, a credible witness, or the oath of a third party), administer the oath if required, complete the certificate, and log the entry. Satisfactory evidence means a California driver's license, a state ID, a U.S. passport, or another government-issued ID with photo and signature. Expired IDs are not acceptable. If identification fails, the act does not happen.
Certificates and Wording
Use the statutory wording. A jurat must state that the signer swore or affirmed the contents and signed in the notary's presence. An acknowledgment must state that the signer personally appeared and acknowledged the execution. The notary's seal, commission expiration date, and signature must appear on the certificate. A notary may complete a certificate for a document written in a foreign language only if the notary can read and understand the language, or the certificate is in English with the statutory wording.
Journal and Fees
Log the date, type of act, document description, signer name, address, identification type, and fee. Thumbprints are required for deeds and powers of attorney. The statutory maximum fee is $15 per signature, and a notary may charge a travel fee if disclosed in advance. Never charge for advice or for filling out forms beyond the certificate.
Worked Example
A signer presents an expired passport. The notary cannot proceed. The correct answer in a question is to refuse the act, not to accept the passport with a second witness or rely on the signer's verbal assurance. Presence plus valid ID is the gate.