A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by the Secretary of State to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents.
A Notary Public must file an oath of office and bond with the Office of the County Clerk in the county where their principal place of business is located. This must be done within 30 calendar days from the commencement date of the commission. This 30-day period cannot be extended.
Statutes provide for filing the oath and bond by mail. The county processes documents in chronological order, but not necessarily on the date received due to the volume of documents. The oath and bond may be submitted to the Office of the County Clerk prior to the commencement date of the commission. It must be filed within 30 calendar days of the commencement date of the commission.
After receiving the State commission certificate, the Notary Bond and Oath of Office may be filed with our office. Before filing, ensure that the following information in your commission packet is correct:
- First, middle, and last name
- Address
- County
- Bond signed by you as the principal. (Your name must match your certificate exactly. For example, if your certificate includes your full middle name, your bond must include your full middle name.) Dates must match commission dates.
To File in Person
Registration service is available 8am - 4pm weekdays, except holidays.
Please bring the following with you:
- Original commission certificate
- Bond signed by you as the principal. (Your name must match your certificate exactly. For example, if your certificate includes your full middle name, your bond must include your full middle name.)
- Dates must match commission dates.
- Two oaths of office forms, unsigned
- Government issued identification card
| Filing Fees | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | $24 | ||
| Bond Recording Fee | $14 for first page, $3 for each additional page | ||
| Make checks and money orders payable to the San Joaquin County Recorder-County Clerk. | |||
To File By Mail
Before mailing, please have the following documents notarized by a Notary Public within San Joaquin County:
- Original commission certificate
- Two completed oath of office forms, unsigned
- Applicable fee for notarization
Mail your materials and request for filing (as outlined below) by Certified Mail to the Office of the County Clerk, 44 N. San Joaquin Street, Stockton CA 95202.
Please include the following:
- A photocopy of your commission certificate
- Original bond, signed by you as the principal
- Two completed oath of office forms, each copy originally signed by you and the notary that administered the oath
- A self-addressed, stamped envelope
- Check or money order payable to the San Joaquin County Recorder-County Clerk
- A daytime phone number. If we have questions about your materials, we may be able to make a correction over the phone.
| Filing Fees | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | $24 | ||
| Bond Recording Fee | $14 for first page, $3 for each additional page | ||
| Make checks and money orders payable to the San Joaquin County Recorder-County Clerk. | |||
Most orders are processed within 5-10 business days from the date the request is received.
If you have any questions, please call our information line at (209) 468-2362 8am to 4:30pm weekdays, except holidays.