Can a Notary Public in California notarize their own signature?

A Notary Public in California cannot notarize their own signature due to the inherent conflict of interest that arises in such a situation. The role of a Notary is to act as an impartial witness to the signing of documents, ensuring that the identity of the signers is verified and that they are entering into the agreement willingly and without duress. If a Notary were to notarize their own signature, they would be both the signer and the impartial witness, which undermines the purpose and integrity of the notarization process.

In California, the law explicitly prohibits a Notary from performing notarial acts in which they have a personal interest. This prohibition exists to maintain the trust and reliability of the notarial system, ensuring that all notarizations are conducted fairly and without bias. Therefore, the correct understanding of this regulation is that it firmly establishes that notarizing one’s own signature is not permissible.