916-796-8111 
877-98NOTARY
 

Effective January 1, 2017, amends California Civil Code section 1185, for specific forms of identification that can be used for proof of the identity when appearing before a notary public.

 

IDENTIFICATION: Effective January 1, 2017, these bills eliminate the requirement that a valid passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship be stamped by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security, and add a valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship, as proof of identity. These bills also add an identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government as proof of identity. California Civil Code section 1185 requires forms of identification as follows:

 

A notary public may establish the identity of a person appearing before the notary public using identification documents if there is an absence of any information which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the individual is not the person he or she claims to be and:

 

1.   There is reasonable reliance on any one of the following forms of identification, provided it is current or was issued within 5 years:

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a.    An identification card or driver’s by the California Department of Motor Vehicles;
b.    A United States passport;

c.    An inmate identification card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, if the inmate is in custody in prison; or

d.    Any form of inmate identification issued by a sheriff’s department, if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility; or

2.   There is reasonable reliance on any one of the following forms of identification, provided it is current or was issued within 5 years, provided that it also contains a photograph, description of the person, signature of the person, and an identifying number:

a.    A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship, or a valid passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship;

b.    A driver’s license issued by another state or by a Canadian or Mexican public agency authorized to issue drivers’ licenses;

c.    An identification card issued by another state;

d.    An identification card issued by any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States (caution:current military identification cards may not have all of the required elements);

e.    An employee identification card issued by an agency or office of the State of California, or by an agency or office of a city, county, or city and county in California;

f.    An identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government.

 

Effective January 1, 2017, amends California Government Code sections 8211 and 8223 by increasing the fees which may be charged for certain notarial acts.

 

California Government Code sections 8211 and 8223 were amended as follows:

 

FEES:  8211. Fees charged by a notary public for the following services shall not exceed the fees prescribed by this section.

(a)  For taking an acknowledgment or proof of a deed, or other instrument, to include the seal and the writing of the certificate, the sum of fifteen dollars ($15) for each signature taken.
 

(b)  For administering an oath or affirmation to one person and executing the jurat, including the seal, the sum of fifteen dollars ($15).

(c) For all services rendered in connection with the taking of any deposition, the sum of thirty dollars ($30), and in addition thereto, the sum of seven dollars ($7) for administering the oath to the witness and the sum of seven dollars ($7) for the certificate to the deposition.

(d)  No fee maybe charged to notarize signatures on vote by mail ballot identification envelopes or other voting materials.

(e)  For certifying a copy of a power of attorney under Section 4307 of the Probate Code the sum of fifteen dollars ($15).

(f) In accordance with Section 6107, no fee may be charged to a United States military veteran for notarization of an application or a claim fora pension, allotment,allowance, compensation, insurance, or any other veteran’s benefit.

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8223. (a)A notary public who holds himself or herself out as being an immigration specialist, immigration consultant, or any other title or description reflecting an expertise in immigration matters shall not advertise in any manner whatsoever that he or she is a notary public.

(b)  A notary public qualified and bonded as an immigration consultant under Chapter 19.5 (commencing with Section 22440) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code may enter data, provided by the client, on immigration forms provided by a federal or state agency. The fee for this service shall not exceed fifteen dollars ($15) per individual for each set of forms. If notary services are performed in relation to the set of immigration forms, additional fees maybe collected pursuant to Section 8211. This fee limitation shall not apply to an attorney, who is also a notary public, who is rendering professional services regarding immigration matters.

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(c) This section shall not be construed to exempt a notary public who enters data on an immigration format the direction of a client, or otherwise performs the services of an immigration consultant, as defined by Section 22441 of the Business and Professions Code, from the requirements of Chapter 19.5 (commencing with Section 22440) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code. A notary public who is not qualified and bonded as an immigration consultant under Chapter 19.5 (commencing with Section 22440) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code may not enter data provided by a client on immigration forms nor otherwise perform the services of an immigration consultant.

FILING OATH:

Senate Bill 974 (Chapter 366, Statutes of 2016), effective January 1, 2017 amends sections

8205, 8206, 8213, and 8213.5 of the Government Code.

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This bill amends Government Code section 8213 to require a person taking the oath of office before the county clerk to serve as a notary public to present identification documents meeting certain requirements specified in statute as satisfactory evidence of identity. Section 8213 was also amended to provide that if the oath of office is taken and subscribed before a notary public, the oath and bond may be filed with the county clerk by certified mail or any other means of physical delivery that provides a receipt.

COMMUNICATION: Existing law requires specified communications between the Secretary of State and notaries public to be made by certified mail. Existing law also specifies that, wherever any notice or communication required by laws to be mailed by registered mail to or by the state, the mailing of the notice by certified mail is deemed a sufficient compliance with that requirement. This bill amends Government Code sections 8205, 8206 and 8213.5 to authorize the use of any other means of physical delivery that provides a receipt for these communications.