Notary Exam Audio Lessons
Short, free audio lessons for the California, Texas and New York notary exams. Each episode takes one high-yield topic from the NotaryExamPro study guide, like identification, journals, acknowledgments or fees, and explains it in about a minute. Listen here, or add the feed to your podcast app and study on a commute or a walk.
California
Lessons for the California notary public exam.
Identification Documents (Method A)
Episode 1 · 1:20 ·
California notaries can identify signers with acceptable identification documents, which fall into two categories. This lesson lists both categories, the 5-year rule for Category 1 IDs and the four elements every Category 2 ID must contain.
Journal Thumbprint Requirements
Episode 4 · 0:46 ·
A California notary must take the signer's right thumbprint in the journal for deeds, deeds of trust, other documents affecting real property and powers of attorney. Learn what to do when the right thumb isn't available and which three documents are exempt.
What Is an Acknowledgment?
Episode 7 · 0:43 ·
The acknowledgment is the most common notarial act in California. This lesson covers the three things the notary certifies and why the signer doesn't have to sign in front of the notary.
What Is a Jurat?
Episode 10 · 0:40 ·
A jurat is identified by the words 'Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed).' This lesson covers the four things a notary certifies in a jurat, including that the signer signed in the notary's presence and took an oath or affirmation.
Maximum Notary Fees
Episode 13 · 0:45 ·
California sets maximum fees for notarial acts: you can charge less, but never more. Hear the maximums for acknowledgments, jurats, depositions, power of attorney copies and immigration forms, plus how travel fees work.
The Notario Publico Prohibition
Episode 16 · 0:48 ·
A California notary may never translate 'Notary Public' as 'notario publico' or 'notario,' even with the required notice posted. Learn the foreign-language advertising notice, why the rule exists and the penalties for a first and second offense.
Required Elements of the Notary Seal
Episode 19 · 0:45 ·
Every California notary seal must show seven required elements. This lesson lists them all, from the notary's name and the State Seal to the commission number and the manufacturer's ID number.
The 30-Day Oath and Bond Filing Deadline
Episode 22 · 0:47 ·
After a California commission is issued, the notary has 30 calendar days to file the oath of office and $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk. Learn what happens if you miss the deadline and which county the filing goes to.
Texas
Lessons for the Texas notary assessment.
What Goes in the Notary Record Book
Episode 2 · 1:02 ·
Texas requires notaries to record specific details for every notarial act. This lesson walks through each required entry, from the date of the instrument to how identity was established and the details recorded when land is involved.
Key Rules for Acknowledgments
Episode 5 · 0:29 ·
A Texas acknowledgment can't be taken over the phone: the signer must be physically present. This lesson covers which date to use, why a notary can't change or draft an instrument, and when you may correct the certificate.
Oaths vs. Affirmations
Episode 8 · 0:27 ·
An oath is sworn to God or something revered, while an affirmation is the secular alternative with the same legal effect. Learn why the signer must answer out loud and why a nod doesn't count.
Maximum Notary Fees
Episode 11 · 0:58 ·
Texas sets maximum notary fees, and you can never charge more. This lesson covers the fees for acknowledgments, oaths, protests, copies and depositions, plus the rule on travel fees.
How to Identify a Signer
Episode 14 · 0:45 ·
A Texas notary can identify a signer three ways: personal knowledge, a government-issued ID or passport, or a credible witness. Learn what to record when a credible witness is used and why a credit card alone isn't acceptable.
Notaries and the Unauthorized Practice of Law
Episode 17 · 0:41 ·
Texas notaries are not lawyers, and the law spells out what they can't do. This lesson covers the four prohibitions, including preparing immigration documents for pay and advertising as a 'notario publico.'
The New SB 693 Education Requirement
Episode 20 · 0:50 ·
Senate Bill 693 created Texas's first mandatory notary education and exam requirement, effective January 1, 2026. Learn who must take the state's course and assessment, how long the course is and who is exempt.
Notary Seal Requirements
Episode 23 · 0:39 ·
A Texas notary seal must show 'Notary Public, State of Texas' around a five-pointed star, plus the notary's name and commission expiration date. This lesson also covers when the notary ID number is required.
New York
Lessons for the New York notary public exam.
Who Appoints Notaries and the 4-Year Term
Episode 3 · 0:45 ·
New York notaries are appointed by the Secretary of State and may act anywhere in the state. This lesson nails down the 4-year commission term and the look-alike numbers the exam uses as distractors.
Notaries Can't Issue Certified Copies
Episode 6 · 0:34 ·
A New York notary has no authority to issue certified copies. Learn what a certified copy actually is, who can issue one and where to send a customer who asks for one.
A Notary Is Not a Lawyer
Episode 9 · 0:49 ·
Being a New York notary gives no right to practice law. This lesson lists the documents a non-attorney notary may not draft and the court case that defines the practice of law.
The Disqualifying Interest Rule
Episode 12 · 0:45 ·
A New York notary is disqualified from any transaction where they are a party or have a direct financial interest. Learn why acknowledgments taken by an interested notary are treated as nullities.
Five Ways to Identify a Signer
Episode 15 · 0:54 ·
New York recognizes five forms of satisfactory evidence of identity for signers who appear in person. This lesson walks through each one, from a government ID to the oaths of two identified witnesses.
What an Acknowledgment Is
Episode 18 · 0:46 ·
An acknowledgment is a formal declaration before an authorized officer that signing a document was the signer's own act. Learn what the notary certifies in the certificate and the purposes an acknowledgment serves.
How to Administer an Oath
Episode 21 · 0:49 ·
A valid oath must be given in a form that awakens the conscience of the person taking it. This lesson gives the simplest valid oath wording from Bookman v. City of New York, the affirmation alternative and what counts as assent.
Acknowledgment and Proof Fees
Episode 24 · 0:36 ·
New York notary fees are $2 per person for acknowledgments and proofs, plus $2 for swearing each witness. This lesson works through quick examples so you count people, not pages.
Test yourself with a free practice exam
Listening helps it stick; practice questions show you what you still need to review. Each state's free practice exam is timed and scored like the real test, with a topic-by-topic breakdown at the end. No sign-up needed to start.