The Request for Notary Journal Search is the form the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) uses to receive requests to search for a notary's journal held by the county. You give your contact details and identify the notary by name, commission number and commission expiration. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the county receives it by mail or at an in-person appointment, as described below. The county publishes the form and its notary journal search page at lavote.gov.
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What is Request for Notary Journal Search – Los Angeles County, CA?
The Request for Notary Journal Search is the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) form that a requestor completes to ask the County Clerk to search its records for the journal of a named notary public.
The form has two parts for the requestor. Requestor Information collects your name, contact phone number, email address, mailing address and any additional information. Search Request identifies the notary by name, commission number and commission expiration, with a space for comments. The rest of the page records the county's work: the date the request was received, bonds and the commission and bond start date, whether journals were found, the number of books, the date retrieved, the box and location or file number, and the dates on which a first and a second search were completed.
The county's page for the form says a search fee applies for each name, under Government Code sections 8213, 26820, 26831 and 26854. A search is not provided the same day, and you are told the result by telephone so you can come to the office and view the journal books. If nothing is found, a Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing can be purchased.
The form is a search request only. Surrendering a notary journal to the county is a separate procedure on the same county page, and the first page of a surrendered journal must carry the notary's name, commission number, expiration date and address.
Who needs to file Request for Notary Journal Search – Los Angeles County, CA?
Anyone who needs the County Clerk to look for a notary's journal files this request. You identify the notary you are asking about; the form asks for that notary's name, commission number and commission expiration.
- A search per name. The county collects its search fee for each name searched, so a request about several notaries involves several names.
- A Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing. If you may need this certificate in case no journal is located, you must tell the clerk when the form is filled out.
- Notaries surrendering a journal. The form does not cover surrender. Surrender is a different procedure described on the county's Notary Journal Surrender/Search page.
The county's page does not set further eligibility rules for requestors, and it does not say whether someone may submit the request for another person.
When to file Request for Notary Journal Search – Los Angeles County, CA
File the request whenever you need a notary's journal searched; the form and the county page set no filing deadline. Plan for the county's timing: a notary journal search is not provided on the same day, and requests may take 5 to 7 days. The county notifies you by telephone of the results so you can come to the office and view the journal book(s), which remain available for viewing for 5 days after that initial call. If you need a Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing in case nothing is found, tell the clerk at the time the form is filled out. In-person appointments can be scheduled up to three weeks in advance.
Documents you need
- A check for the search fee, if you mail the request; it is sent with the form. E-Checks, temporary checks and foreign checks (except from Canada and Mexico) are not accepted and cause the request to be rejected.
How to fill out Request for Notary Journal Search – Los Angeles County, CA
Enter your name
Under Requestor Information, write your name in the Name field. This is the person the county will contact about the search.
Add your phone number
Enter a number in Contact Phone Number. The county notifies you of the results by telephone, so use one you will answer.
Give your email address
Type your email in Email Address. Check the spelling before moving on.
Enter your mailing address
Write the address where you can be reached in Mailing Address. Use the Additional Information field for anything else the county should know about you as requestor.
Write the notary's name
Under Search Request, enter the full name of the notary whose journal you want searched in Notary Name. The search fee applies for each name.
Enter the commission details
Fill in Commission Number and Commission Expiration exactly as you know them. These identify the notary in the county's records.
Add comments if needed
Use Comments for any detail that helps the search. If you may need a Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing, tell the clerk when you submit the form.
Leave the county sections blank
Do not complete Date Request Received or Search Results. The county's page tells requestors to fill out only the Requestor Information and Search Request fields.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the notary's name and commission numbers, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Prepare your payment and submit the form through the channels under How to submit.
How to submit Request for Notary Journal Search – Los Angeles County, CA
You can submit the request by mail or in person at an appointment.
- By mail: send the form with a check for the search fee to Business Filing & Registration, P.O. Box 1208, Norwalk, CA 90650. District offices do not process mail requests.
- In person: schedule an appointment with the county; appointments can be made up to three weeks in advance.
A search fee applies for each name searched, and copies of journal entries carry a per-page fee. The Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing also has a fee. Ask the RR/CC or check its notary journal search page for current amounts.
The county does not accept E-Checks, temporary checks or foreign checks (except from Canada and Mexico). If one is received, the request is rejected and sent back to the submitter to request a new method of payment.
After the search, the county telephones you with the results. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Paying a mailed request with an E-Check, a temporary check or a foreign check (other than Canada or Mexico); the county rejects the request and sends it back.
- Mailing the request to a district office; district offices do not process mail requests, which go to Business Filing & Registration, P.O. Box 1208, Norwalk, CA 90650.
- Expecting a same-day result; the county does not provide a notary search the same day, and requests may take 5 to 7 days.
- Not telling the clerk, when the form is filled out, that you will need a Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing if no information is located.
- Waiting too long to view the journal after the county's call; the books are available for viewing for 5 days after the initial call.
- Leaving the notary's name, commission number or commission expiration blank in the Search Request section.
- Filling in the Search Results section, which records the county's own search work, instead of only Requestor Information and Search Request.
- Sending one check for several notaries without allowing for the fee that applies for each name.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Request for Notary Journal Search?
It is the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk form for asking the county to search for a notary's journal. You provide your contact details and the notary's name, commission number and commission expiration, and the county records the results of its search.
How long does a notary journal search take in Los Angeles County?
Requests may take 5 to 7 days; the county does not provide a notary search on the same day. It telephones you with the results, and the journal books are then available for viewing for 5 days after that initial call.
Is there a fee for a notary journal search?
Yes. The county collects a search fee for each name searched, a per-page fee for copies of journal entries, and a fee for a Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing. The amounts are not listed here; check the county's notary journal search page or ask the RR/CC.
Where do I mail the Request for Notary Journal Search?
Mail the form with a check for the search fee to Business Filing & Registration, P.O. Box 1208, Norwalk, CA 90650. District offices do not process mail requests, so do not send it to one.
Can I submit the notary journal search request in person?
Yes, by appointment. The county says appointments can be scheduled up to three weeks in advance. Mailed requests go only to the Norwalk P.O. box, not to the district offices.
What payment does the county not accept?
The county does not accept E-Checks, temporary checks or foreign checks, except checks from Canada and Mexico. If one is received, the request is rejected and sent back so you can choose another method of payment.
What if no journal is found?
If the information is not located, you can buy a Certificate of Fact of Non-Filing. You must tell the clerk at the time the form is filled out that you will need one.
Can I fill out the notary journal search form online on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the county and does not file or deliver the request; you send it by mail or bring it to an appointment.
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