Updated 4-8-20. In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, many state Notary agencies and local recording offices have announced closures, reduced hours or limited services for the immediate future. Notaries who need to file commission-related documents, records or surety bonds should be prepared for delays and contact their local recording office or Notary-regulating agency for assistance.
Recording offices in Los Angeles County, California, closed on March 16, and since then local first-time and renewing Notaries who need to file their oath of office and surety bond have been unable to do so in person. Applicants may file their oaths and bonds with the county clerk’s office by certified mail or by any means of physical delivery that provides a receipt and in compliance with the instructions for filing by certified mail provided in their Notary commission packets.
On April 7 the Los Angeles County Clerk/Recorders office reported that the county clerk is experiencing significant delays in mail processing due to high volumes and staff shortages. They urged Notaries to make sure their oath and bond package is complete when filed by mail. Some of the reoccurring issues leading to rejections include:
- Bonds that are not signed.
- Incorrect fees. Notaries must pay $3 for each page of the bond. Double-sided pages count twice.
- Checks not signed or no payment included.
“Requests that are rejected are time-consuming for you and the county and the returned request will go to the back of the line for reprocessing,” the office said in a statement. Additionally, Notaries should file their oaths and bonds well within the 30-day window before the start date of their commission. Notaries within Los Angeles County who need to file their journals should contact the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s call center at 1-800-201-8999 to request alternative options for filing journals.
California Notaries in other parts of the state should be prepared to file their oaths of office and surety bonds by certified mail or other means of physical delivery that provides a receipt. Notaries should contact their counties for specific directions.
On March 16, Pennsylvania officials announced that Commonwealth employees in Dauphin County and the Capitol Complex will be working remotely through March 30 and some recording offices may be closed. These closures may prevent Pennsylvania Notaries from filing their oath, surety bond and commission with the Recorder of Deeds office within the 45-day time period required by state law. Pennsylvania officials have said that Notaries will be granted extensions if recording offices are closed for an extended period of time. If a local recording office is open but have limited staff and services, Notaries may be given the option to take their oath of office before another official authorized to administer oaths (another Notary or a judge, for example).
Washington State has announced that the Department of Licensing’s Notary unit will also be working remotely through April 28 and strongly recommends that Washington Notaries file applications and renewals online.
The Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications in the District of Columbia is also closed through March 31. Applications that are submitted online will be reviewed by the Office, but it is unable during this time to conduct orientation sessions, administer oaths of office, or to respond to phone calls. Emails submitted to notary@dc.gov may experience a delay in response.
This is an ongoing situation and more states and counties may be announcing closures in the hours to come. If you are a Notary whose needs to take an oath of office or submit documentation to a closed office, check the recording office or your state Notary-regulating agency website for guidance how you should proceed.
David Thun is the Assistant Managing Editor with the National Notary Association.
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