Notary Public Underwriters Blog
Managing Your Notary Commission
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- Published: June 24, 2021
Notaries in many states must obtain a surety bond to qualify for their commission. But once that essential front-end task is accomplished, too many notaries overlook the fact that their surety bond agency is a committed partner in managing certain notary commission responsibilities.
One such responsibility is reporting commission information changes. Most all states’ notary laws or administrative rules require a notary to report to the Secretary of State (or other designated official who maintains state notary records) specified status changes that affect a notary’s commission records. These status change requirements can pertain to any information on file about the notary--primarily name, home and work address, contact phone number and email address, and criminal history if applicable. Any change that affects eligibility to continue holding a commission must also be reported (more on this, below).
What other types of reporting might be required? Well, remember that state notary laws differ, so some states that require recordkeeping (journaling) have established reporting requirements regarding stored notarial records. Other states require reporting a lost or stolen official stamp or embossing seal. Still more states--those authorizing electronic or remote online notarization--require notaries to report (for example) which technology solutions they use to perform these notarizations, and when they add or change technologies.
Commission eligibility based on residency triggers very important reporting responsibilities. Too many resident notaries forget to resign their commissions when they are no longer eligible due to moving out of state. Same, with non-resident notaries whose commission eligibility is dependent on employment in the commissioning state, and that employment ends.
That’s a pretty hefty load of reporting requirements, but you don’t have to manage it alone if you obtain your surety bond and/or errors and omissions insurance through Notary Public Underwriters.
That’s because with Notary Public Underwriters, it’s never just “thanks, and see you.” We’re on top of your vital commission information, your applicable reporting requirements, and the pending expiration of your active commission term. We notify you well in advance of your commission expiration date and accept your commission renewal early too, taking a last-minute renewal time crunch or accidental commission expiration completely off the table. Throughout your entire commission term, our periodic emails and regular blog posts keep you informed and reminded of duties--such as commission change reporting--that are so easy for a hard-working notary to overlook.
All these benefits make Notary Public Underwriters more than a notary surety bond and E&O insurance provider… they make us your commission management partner. It’s a job we cherish and that it is our honor to perform, because we appreciate you.