Record Keeping and Notary Journals

Each journal entry must contain specific information as required by California law: (1) the date and time of the notarial act; (2) the type of notarial act (acknowledgment, jurat, etc.); (3) the type of document, the date of the document, and the document's title or description; (4) the printed name and address of the signer; (5) the type of identification used to identify the signer, including the issuing agency, serial or identifying number, and issue and expiration dates of the ID; (6) the signer's signature in the journal; (7) the fee charged for the notarial act; and (8) if the document is a deed, quitclaim deed, or deed of trust affecting real property, the right thumbprint of the signer. The right thumbprint is required by statute for any instrument affecting real property.

The notary journal must be a permanently bound volume with pre-numbered pages. Loose-leaf journals, ring binders, or notebooks that allow page removal or insertion are not permitted. The sequential page numbering ensures that entries cannot be removed or pages inserted after the fact, thereby protecting the integrity of the journal. If a line or space within an entry is left blank, the notary should draw a line through the blank space before proceeding to the next entry to prevent unauthorized additions. When a journal volume is completed, the notary must retain the entire volume. No pages should ever be removed from a journal for any reason.

If a notary makes an error in a journal entry, the correct method for fixing the error is to draw a single line through the erroneous information, write the correct information in a nearby space or in the margin, and initial the correction. The original, erroneous text must remain legible. A notary must never use correction fluid, white-out, tape, or any other method that obscures or obliterates the original entry. Erasing, writing over, or tearing out a page destroys the integrity of the journal and may be considered evidence of an attempt to conceal misconduct. If the error is discovered at a later date (after the signer has left), the notary should also note the date on which the correction was made.

A California notary must retain the journal for the duration of their commission and for a reasonable period thereafter. While California law does not specify an exact retention period for paper journals, the recommended practice is to retain journals indefinitely or at least as long as the statutes of limitation for notary-related legal actions may run. The notary must keep all journals in their exclusive custody and control. An employer may not retain or confiscate a notary's journal, even if the employer paid for the journal. If the notary resigns the commission, retires, or the commission expires without renewal, the notary must deliver all journals to the county clerk in the county where the notary's oath and bond were filed within 30 days. Journals delivered to the county clerk are then retained according to the county's records retention schedule.

A California notary may keep an electronic journal if the Secretary of State has authorized the specific electronic journal system being used. An electronic journal must be tamper-evident, meaning it must be designed so that any alteration, deletion, or unauthorized entry is detectable. The electronic journal must allow entries to be made at or near the time of the notarial act. It must also be capable of generating a printable copy of the journal upon request. The same information required for a paper journal entry (date, time, type of act, document description, signer identity, ID details, signature, fee, and thumbprint when applicable) must be recorded in the electronic journal. Backups of the electronic journal must be maintained regularly. The notary retains exclusive control over access credentials to the electronic journal—employers may not have sole access.