What type of documents cannot be notarized by a California Notary?

A California Notary is prohibited from notarizing documents in which they have a financial interest. This restriction is in place to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure the integrity and impartiality of the notarization process. The notary serves as an impartial witness to the signing of the document, and having a financial interest undermines this role. This rule helps maintain the trust in notarizations by ensuring that notaries do not benefit from the documents they are signing.

When it comes to documents with multiple signers, notarization is permissible as long as those signers are present and willing to acknowledge their signatures in front of the notary. Similarly, documents in non-English languages can be notarized, provided that the notary can verify the identities of the signers and understand the significance of the document being notarized. Lastly, the age of the document, such as being older than five years, does not inherently prohibit notarization as long as the notary can confirm the identities of the signers and the document's purpose.