Search by name to verify any active California notary’s commission status. Results show the notary’s commission number, expiration date, and whether their commission is active, expiring soon, or expired.
How Commission Verification Works
Every California notary is commissioned by the Secretary of State for a four-year term. The state publishes the roster of active commissions, and this search reads that same data. More than 135,000 notaries hold active California commissions right now.
The statuses mean what they say. Active means the commission is current and the notary may act. Expiring soon means the four-year term ends within the next few months. Expired means the commission has lapsed, and any notarization after that date is invalid. If a notary’s name returns no result, they are not currently commissioned in California.
Why People Verify
Title and escrow companies verify notaries before closing packages. Employers verify before letting a staff notary act for the business. Lenders, courts, and anyone who receives a notarized document across state lines may verify before relying on it. Verification is free, takes seconds, and settles the question of whether the person who stamped your document held a valid commission on the date they stamped it.
When You Might Need to Verify a Notary
- Employers verifying a notary’s credentials before allowing them to notarize documents
- Title and escrow companies confirming commission status before a signing
- Document recipients who need to confirm a notarization was performed by an active notary
- Notaries checking their own commission status
About the Data
This tool searches the California Secretary of State’s active notary database, which contains over 136,000 active notary commissions statewide. The data is updated nightly. For official verification or legal purposes, always cross-check with the California Secretary of State.
This is a verification tool only. It does not provide contact information, addresses, or a directory of notaries available for hire. If you need to find a notary to notarize your documents, contact a local shipping store, bank, or mobile notary service.