Best California Notary Classes and Exam Prep (2026): Prices Compared

We make NotaryExamPro, so read this with that in mind. Every competitor price and feature below comes from that company's own website, checked on October 6, 2026, and the links are at the bottom so you can check them yourself. Prices change, so confirm before you buy. Getting ready for the California notary exam takes two things: an approved 6-hour course, which the state requires, and practice with exam-style questions, which is how you pass. Some courses include decent practice; others don't. • Lowest cost: NotaryClassOnline's $49.97 course plus free practice tests. • Best value course with practice included: EZNotaryClass at $79, which also refunds the class if you fail three times. • Want a live class: Notary Public Seminars' $119 livestream, or the NNA's $199 one-day seminar with the exam at the end. • Want course and supplies in one order: Notaries.com's $189 package. • Want lots of timed practice with a money-back guarantee: NotaryExamPro at $49, alongside any approved course. We make NotaryExamPro, which is exam practice, not a course, so it isn't competing for the course part of this list.

Every new California notary has to complete a Secretary of State approved 6-hour course before the exam. Your Proof of Completion is good for 2 years. These are the providers we could confirm on their own sites.

The state exam is 45 questions in 1 hour, and the questions are about applying the rules (fees, journal entries, identification, what a notary must refuse) rather than reciting them. That's why practice matters more than re-reading.

• Lowest total cost: NotaryClassOnline ($49.97), the free handbook, and free practice tests. About $50 before state fees. • One purchase that covers both steps reasonably: EZNotaryClass ($79). Its practice tests and three-attempt refund make it a sensible default. • You want a teacher in the room: the NNA's live seminar ($199), which also books your exam seat, or Notary Public Seminars' livestream ($119) if you're fine booking the exam yourself. • You need supplies too: Notaries.com's $189 package bundles the course with your bond, stamp and journal. Compare it with buying a cheaper course and supplies separately. • You want to walk in confident, or you're retaking: any approved course plus NotaryExamPro ($49). If you just want one more test, the $9.99 Notary Public Seminars practice exam is the cheapest paid option. Whatever you choose, take a free full-length practice exam after your course. If you're comfortably above passing, you're ready to book. Head-to-head details: NotaryExamPro vs NNA and NotaryExamPro vs EZNotaryClass.

Whichever prep you choose, the state side of becoming a California notary is the same: • An approved 6-hour course is required for every new notary (3 hours for a renewal, but only while your current commission is still active). Your Proof of Completion is good for 2 years. • The exam is 45 multiple choice questions in 1 hour, closed book. 40 are scored and 5 are unscored test questions. • You need a scaled score of 70. CPS HR Consulting, which runs the exam, says a scaled score is not a percentage, so be wary of anyone quoting an exact number of questions you can miss. • The exam and application fee is $40, and a retake is $20. You can test at most once per calendar month. • After you pass, you get fingerprinted by Live Scan, then buy a $15,000 bond and file your oath with your county. More detail: how to become a notary in California and how many questions are on the California notary exam. The state doesn't publish a Live Scan price; it depends on the Live Scan location. The NNA estimates about $125 for fingerprinting and photo.

Checked October 6, 2026. • NotaryClassOnline: notaryclassonline.com/notary-certification • Academy of Notaries Public courses: notary-courses.com/online-courses • Academy of Notaries Public practice tests: notary-courses.com/prestudy/practice-tests • Notary Public Seminars: notarypublicseminars.com/becomeanotarypublic and practice exam • EZNotaryClass: eznotaryclass.com and terms • Notaries.com California package: notaries.com/california • NNA California training: nationalnotary.org/california/become-a-notary/required-training and exam guarantee • NNA cost estimates: nationalnotary.org/california • Exam format and scoring: CPS HR Consulting • Exam fees and education rules: Secretary of State, exam and education