Free Blank California Promissory Note (2026)
Download an empty Promissory Note template for California: the same statute-aware layout our generator uses, with blank lines to fill in by hand. No account, no email, no watermark.
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Answer a few questions — we apply the California rules, check your entries and build a clean PDF and Word.
California rules that this document follows
| Maximum interest (private loans) | 10% per year for personal/household loans — Loans primarily for personal, family or household purposes: 10% per year; other loans: greater of 10% or 5 points above the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco discount rate; many lender exemptions (banks, licensed lenders, real-estate-broker-arranged loans)Source: Cal. Const. art. XV, § 1 |
|---|---|
| Legal rate when none is stated | 7%Source: Cal. Const. art. XV, § 1 (7% absent agreement); Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 685.010 (10% on judgments) |
| Late fees | Late charge must be a reasonable pre-estimate of damages (Cal. Civ. Code § 1671); consumer loan late fees are limited by Fin. Code § 22320.5 for licensed lenders |
| Attorneys' fees | A one-way fee clause is made reciprocal by statute — the borrower can recover fees tooSource: Cal. Civ. Code § 1717 |
| Cosigner notice | Included when a cosigner is namedSource: Cal. Civ. Code § 1799.91 / 16 C.F.R. § 444.3 |
| Time to sue on a written note | 4 yearsSource: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337 (written contracts, 4 years); Cal. Com. Code § 3118 (negotiable notes, 6 years) |
| Notarization / witnesses | Not required (optional for evidentiary value) |
Frequently asked questions
Is the blank template free?
Yes. The blank Promissory Note is free to download as PDF or Word — no account, no watermark. The paid version is the completed document our generator builds from your answers.
Is it valid in California?
The template follows the California rules listed on this page (reviewed September 2026). A blank form becomes a binding document only once it is completed correctly and signed by the parties. Check the state facts below and consider an attorney for unusual situations.
Should I fill it by hand or online?
Online is safer: the generator applies California limits and notice periods, validates your entries and produces a clean PDF and Word file. Filling by hand works for simple cases — write clearly, initial every page and keep a signed copy for each party.
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