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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 1Ch. 3Art. 1§ 8221 Notary Record Destruction Penalty

§ 8221 Notary Record Destruction Penalty

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

§ 8221 Notary Record Destruction Penalty

Key Takeaways

  • •It's illegal to ruin, hide, or mess up a notary's important papers on purpose.
  • •If you do this, you can go to jail (misdemeanor) and pay money to anyone hurt by your actions.
  • •The police have up to 4 years to catch you after they find out or after you finish the crime.
  • •Even if you get punished, the person you hurt can still sue you for more money.

Example

You get mad at your neighbor and tear up their notary papers because they wouldn’t lend you their lawnmower.

You broke the law by destroying the notary papers on purpose. You could go to jail, and if your neighbor loses money because of what you did, you have to pay them back.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 8221 Notary Record Destruction Penalty

(a) If any person shall knowingly destroy, deface, or conceal any records or papers belonging to the office of a notary public, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be liable in a civil action for damages to any person injured as a result of such destruction, defacing, or concealment. (b) Notwithstanding any other limitation of time described in Section 802 of the Penal Code, or any other provision of law, prosecution for a violation of this offense shall be commenced within four years after discovery of the commission of the offense, or within four years after the completion of the offense, whichever is later. (c) The penalty provided by this section is not an exclusive remedy and does not affect any other relief or remedy provided by law. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 399, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2008.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

commissioncrimedamagespenaltydiscoveryremedyoffensemisdemeanor

Related Statutes

  • § 8225 Notary Coercion Penalty
  • § 6203 False Official Certificates
  • § 8228.1 Notary Seal Misconduct Penalties
  • § 8214.23 Notary Thumbprint Penalty Enforcement
  • § 8214.8 Notary Conviction Commission Revocation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 8221.
View Official Source