Keep Notary Commission Information updated

As time passes throughout your notary career, your personal information will change. It’s important to keep your notary commission information updated. Maybe you married and changed your name. Maybe you changed your address. When these changes occur, you may remember to change your information with your credit card company, the DMV, and several others with whom you regularly interact. It is easy to overlook the fact that you need to inform the New York State Division of Licensing. Here at Notary New York, we train people to pass the New York Notary Exam and become a licensed notary.

I Recently Changed My Name

Perhaps you just got divorced, and you decide to change your last name back to your family name. Or, as stated above, you married and decided to take your husband’s surname. Then again, maybe you just don’t like your birth name, and you decide to change it. Why you changed your name doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you notify your County Clerk. That office will make sure the State licensing record is updated.

In New York, you can continue to notarize documents with your old name. But when your commission expires, you will need to renew your license with your new name. In New York, there is no charge if the change is due to marriage. For any other reason, there is a $10.00 charge.

How to Submit a Name Change in New York

• Firstly, you will need to complete a notary name change form. This is available from the State.
• You will current notary commission certificate license number.
• Lastly, include the $10.00 application fee. Again, this is waived if due to marriage.

After you alert your County Executive of your name change, New York State will issue you a new notary ID card that reflects your new name. Be aware that different states may have different laws. This article is specific to New York State.

I Recently Changed My Address

Remember, when you registered to become a notary, you used your home address. So, unless you work from home, your business address may be different. Thus, if your business changes its address, it would have little to do with the address reflected on your notary commission.

But suppose you change your residence. In this case, you certainly want to update this information with the state. Firstly, if you fail to notify the state of your new address, you could miss any reminder to renew your license, which the state would normally send. As such, you could put yourself in a position that would allow your commission to expire.

Furthermore, what if someone were to register a complaint against you? If that were to occur, the state would notify you by mail. However, if they have outdated address information, you could run the risk of missing that notification. That would put you in a position that could compromise your ability to defend yourself. So, remember. It’s important to keep your notary commission up to date.

Feel free to read our other blog articles, all dedicated to keeping notaries informed. Some articles are specifically targeted to provide information to aspiring notaries in New York State.