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HomeCivil CodeDiv. 2Pt. 4Ch. 4Art. 3§ 1181 Notary And Officer Proofs

§ 1181 Notary And Officer Proofs

Civil Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 1181 Notary And Officer Proofs

This law says that a document can be notarized anywhere in the state, and the notary can verify it before many different public officials listed in the statute.

Key Takeaways

  • •A notary can notarize documents anywhere in the state.
  • •The notary can verify the document before many listed public officials.
  • •The verification can happen in any county or city within the state.

Example

You need a power of attorney notarized. You can go to any notary public in California, and the notary can have the document verified by a city clerk, a district attorney, or another official listed in the law.

The notary can perform the verification in front of any of the officials named, such as a city clerk or a county clerk, no matter which county you are in.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 1181 Notary And Officer Proofs

The proof or acknowledgment of an instrument may be made before a notary public at any place within this state, or within the county or city and county in this state in which the officer specified below was elected or appointed, before either: (a) A clerk of a superior court. (b) A county clerk. (c) A court commissioner. (d) A retired judge of a municipal or justice court. (e) A district attorney. (f) A clerk of a board of supervisors. (g) A city clerk. (h) A county counsel. (i) A city attorney. (j) Secretary of the Senate. (k) Chief Clerk of the Assembly. (Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 12. Effective January 1, 2003.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

proof or acknowledgment of an instrumentnotary publicclerk of a superior courtcounty clerkcourt commissionerretired judge of a municipal or justice courtdistrict attorneyclerk of a board of supervisorscity clerkcounty counselcity attorneySecretary of the SenateChief Clerk of the Assembly

Related Statutes

  • § 1180 Document Proof Authorization
  • § 1182 Out-Of-State Document Verification
  • § 1183 Foreign Document Authentication
  • § 1189 Notary Acknowledgment Disclaimer
  • § 1746.4 Violent Video Game Reporting

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Civil Code. Section 1181.
View Official Source