What Does My Employee Need To Do To Resign Her Notary Commission?

One of my Notary employees is leaving the company. What does she need to do to “resign” as a Notary? — C.B., Auburn, CA

The fact that your employee is leaving her job does not mean she must resign her commission. But if she no longer wants to be a Notary, she should write a resignation letter stating her wish to resign, and send it by certified mail to the CA Secretary of State at the following address:

Business Programs Division
Notary Public Section
P.O. Box 942877
Sacramento, CA 94277-0001

From the date of resignation, she must turn in her journal(s) within 30 days to the County Clerk’s office where she filed her bond and took her oath; and she must destroy her stamp.

Notaries commissioned in other states may have different resignation requirements and should contact their state Notary agency or the NNA Hotline with any questions.

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

7 Comments

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KAREN SCHMIDT

18 May 2015

Just because his employee is leaving doesn't mean she has to resign her commission. The commission belongs to the notary, not the company.

Jon

It sounds like the Employer is forcing the employee notary to resign her commission. I wonder if the notary knows that she does not have to resign her commission when she leaves the company.

Sara

20 May 2015

It sounds to me like the Employer doesn't see the difference between resigning from a position where one uses one's notary commission (that is, leaving the company) and resigning from one's notary commission.

Donna Shelley

21 May 2015

I agree with Jon and Sharon Smith. SHE is the one with the license and she is the one who took the test and earned her license. Where does this company get off even suggesting such a thing? Even if they paid for her to become a Notary, the distinction goes with her. One of my employer's paid for my college education but I wasn't required to "resign" my Bachelor's Degree to that employer when I left their employ--makes about as much sense as what this company is proposing.

Kandyce Kwy

24 May 2015

California must have different laws than Florida. In Florida the commission belong to the Notary not the employer. Why would NNA give that answer?

Karin Kruppe

12 Feb 2021

My commission expired and I did not renew. I am in Illinois. What do I do with my journal? Thank you.

National Notary Association

26 Feb 2021

Hello. Since Illinois does not require a journal, the state does not provide guidelines for disposal of a journal after the end of a commission. In situations where state law does not provide guidance, The Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility recommends keeping the journal in a secure location and maintaining sole control of the journal for at least 10 years from the date of the last entry in the journal.

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