Find a notary exam near you.

Find exam dates and the testing sites nearest you with our exam finder, then register with CPS HR, the state's exam provider. You may register for a notary public exam either online or by phone up to 15 business days before the exam. To register by phone, contact CPS HR at (916) 263-3520, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. A confirmation scheduling letter will be sent to you by email or USPS, depending on how you registered. You may also print the Notary Public Application from the CPS HR website (or have it mailed to you if you registered by phone), which you will need to complete and bring with you to the testing site.

You can find the next state exam in your area with our exam finder. It is updated every week from CPS HR's official schedule.

State exams are held up and down California. To find the next one near you, enter your ZIP code here.

Bring a $40.00 separate check or money order, payable to the Secretary of State, to the testing site if you are a new applicant. Applicants who have previously taken the exam and failed bring a $20.00 separate check or money order, payable to the Secretary of State.

The exam is 45 multiple-choice questions with a one-hour time limit. It is closed book and administered in person by CPS HR proctors only. Allow 2 to 3 hours at the test site for check-in, proctor instructions and testing.

Results are emailed (if you provided an email address on your application) or mailed to you by USPS, usually 15 to 20 business days after the exam. Results are not discussed over the phone. A scaled score of 70 is passing.