Have you ever considered becoming a Notary Public? It's a good way to make money in your spare time and can make you more marketable as an employee. If you have the ingenuity and discipline, this can even be a lucrative and flexible full-time career.

Here is a little bit about the process of becoming a Notary Public in California.

First, Notary Publics must meet the following requirements to be commissioned:

* You must be at least 18 years old * You must be able to read, write, and understand English * You must pass the written exam administered by the state of California with a score of 70% or better * You must be a legal resident of California * You must pass a background check * You must take an approved six (6) hour Notary Public course prior to the testing. (For subsequent commissioning, a three (3) hour Notary Refresher course is required prior to testing.). For an easy online course, check out www.budgetnotarycourse.com. * You must be in compliance with child support payments. If not, your application may be denied, or you may receive only a temporary commission. * You must remain in compliance with child support payments after being commissioned. If you do not, you may have your commission suspended or revoked by the Secretary of State of the state of California

If you meet these requirements and complete the mandatory education, you will need to fill out an application, pass an exam and a background check before you are commissioned. The Notary test consists of 30 multiple choice questions about notary law. In order to attain the required 70%, you can miss a maximum of 9 of the questions. You may register for the exam online at notary.cps.ca.gov or call Cooperative Personnel Service (CPS) at 916-263-3530 and ask for an exam registration packet. CPS' website is: http://www.cps.ca.gov/TakeATest/notary/ .

There is an original application fee of $20 and a testing fee of $20. You will be required to pay a total of $40 at the testing site at the time of testing. This can be in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Secretary of State. At that time, you will complete an application.

About 7-10 working days after the exam, you will receive a letter from the Secretary of State indicating whether you passed or failed the exam.

Approximately ten (10) days after taking the exam, you may view your scores online at https://notary.cps.ca.gov . In order to access your scores on this website, you must first attain a password by calling the CPS at 916-263-3520. Do NOT attempt to obtain your scores by telephone. They are not given out by phone.

If you fail the exam the first time, you may take it again any time after the next calendar month. The re-testing fee is $20. When you appear to re-take the examination, bring with you a copy of the "fail" letter along with your identification.

Testing dates and locations in your area are listed on the Secretary of State's website: http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/notary/notary.htm . You may also call CPS, 916-263-3520.

When you have passed the exam, you will then receive a letter from the Secretary of State with an application to have your fingerprints taken via Live Scan. Directions for this procedure will be included. NOTE: Complete your Live Scan as soon as possible. It may take 8 weeks (possibly longer) for your background check to be completed.

No later than 30 days after the beginning of the terms prescribed in the commission, you must (1) take and subscribe to an oath of office, and (2) file an official bond with the Office of the County Clerk in the county in which you plan to maintain your primary place of business as shown in your application to the Secretary of State. This may be done by mail or in person. Until you have done this you may NOT notarize documents. Your commission is not valid until the oath and bond have been filed.

If you fail to file your oath and bond within 30 calendar days after receiving your commission, your commission will be voided. You will then have to reapply, paying another $20 for your application.

A bond in the amount of $15,000 or more must be purchased through a California admitted surety company. You, the Notary, are personally liable for acts of notarization completed improperly, illegally or through negligence. The bond offers protection to the public in the event you are sued, and usually costs $30 for four (4) years (subject to change).

Be aware that this bond provides no PERSONAL protection for YOU. Therefore, many Notaries purchase what is called "Errors and Omissions" insurance. This is not a legal requirement. It is a personal choice.

When you receive your Letter of Commission from the Secretary State, you will also receive authorization to manufacture your Notary Seal. A list of authorized seal manufacturers will be included. Send your original authorization to the seal manufacturer of your choice.

Before you take your first assignment, you should have the following:

1. Your Notary seal 2. Your Notary journal 3. Acknowledgment pads 4. Your Jurat stamp 5. Fingerprinting device

As stated previously, your commission lasts for four (4) years. To renew your commission, you must retake the examination and file a new application.

While there are many requirements to becoming a notary, it is actually a smooth process. Once you begin by taking the mandatory education, each subsequent step becomes clear. And after you become a notary, it is easier to re-commission than to become commissioned in the first place. To take the first step in this new and exciting career, start the mandatory education. It's easy and cheap if you take an online course.