Name Changes and Your California Notary Commission: What to Do

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You got married, divorced, or legally changed your name. Your notary commission, your seal, and your journal all reflect your old name, and you need to update all of them within specific deadlines.

The process is straightforward but has strict timing requirements. Miss a deadline and you could face a $500 penalty or have to start the name change process over.

Step 1: Submit a Name Change Application to the Secretary of State

Download the Notary Public Name Change Application from the Secretary of State’s website. Complete it and submit it to the SOS. There is no specific deadline for how quickly you must notify the Secretary of State after your name change, but you cannot continue notarizing under your new name until this step is complete.

Once the Secretary of State approves your application, they will issue an amended commission reflecting your new name. This amended commission has the same commission number and expiration date as your original commission. Only the name changes.

Step 2: File a new oath of office and bond amendment with the county clerk

Within 30 days of the date the amended commission was issued, you must file a new oath of office and an amendment to your bond with the county clerk in the county where your principal place of business is located. This is the same county clerk where you filed your original oath and bond.

The county clerk will charge a filing fee, typically around $15 to $25 depending on the county. You may also need to pay a fee to your bonding company to amend the bond. Contact your bond provider in advance to find out what they charge and what documentation they need.

If you miss the 30-day deadline, the name change becomes void. Your commission reverts to your previous name, and you have to submit another Name Change Application and start the process over. The Secretary of State may also assess a $500 penalty for late filing.

Step 3: Get a new seal with your new name

Within 30 days of filing your amended oath and bond with the county clerk, you must obtain a new seal that shows your new name. This means ordering a new stamp from an authorized vendor using your amended commission certificate.

Your old seal must be destroyed or defaced once the new one arrives. You cannot keep both seals active. The old one no longer matches your commission and using it would be a violation.

Until your new seal arrives, you can continue using your old seal with your old name. But once the amended oath and bond are filed, you must transition to the new name and seal within that 30-day window.

What changes and what stays the same

Quick breakdown of what changes and what stays the same:

• Changes: Your name on the commission, your seal, and how you sign journal entries and notarial certificates
• Stays the same: Your commission number, commission expiration date, and county of filing
• New: Amended commission certificate from the SOS, new oath of office on file with the county clerk, bond amendment

How to sign after a name change

Once your amended commission is active, you sign notarial certificates and journal entries using the name on your amended commission. The signature must be legible or otherwise identifiable as your official notary name. If you previously signed with just a first initial and last name, you can continue doing that as long as the initial matches the first name on your amended commission.

You cannot use a “doing business as” name or a nickname on notarial certificates. The name you use must match what appears on your commission and your seal.

What if a signer’s name does not match their ID

Name mismatches between a signer’s ID and the document they are signing is a related problem that comes up frequently. A newly married person may have a driver’s license in their maiden name but need to sign a document with their married name. Or the reverse: their ID shows the married name but the document uses the maiden name.

California law requires that the name on the ID match the name on the document. If they do not match, you cannot use that ID as satisfactory evidence of identity. Your options are:

• Ask the signer to provide a different form of ID that matches the document name
• Use one or two credible witnesses to verify the signer’s identity
• Decline the notarization until the signer can provide matching identification

A marriage certificate or court order showing the name change is not an acceptable substitute for a government-issued photo ID. It can help establish the connection between the two names, but it does not replace the ID requirement.

Waiting until renewal instead of filing a name change

If your commission is expiring soon, you might wonder whether you can just apply for renewal under your new name instead of going through the name change process mid-commission. You can. When you submit your renewal application, use your new legal name. The Secretary of State will issue the new commission in that name.

Until your renewal takes effect, though, you still need to use the name on your current commission for all notarial acts. If you need to notarize documents under your new name before the renewal, you must complete the mid-commission name change process described above.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file my amended oath and bond after a name change?

30 days from the date the amended commission was issued by the Secretary of State. If you miss this deadline, the name change is void and your commission reverts to the previous name.

Do I need to get a new seal after a name change?

Yes. Within 30 days of filing your amended oath and bond with the county clerk, you must obtain a new seal with your new name. Destroy the old seal.

Can I keep using my old seal while waiting for the new one?

Yes, but only until you file the amended oath and bond. Once that filing is complete, you have 30 days to obtain the new seal. During that transition period, continue using the old seal.

Does my commission number change with a name change?

No. Your commission number stays the same. Only the name on the commission changes.

Do I need to pay for a new bond after a name change?

You do not need a new bond. You need an amendment to your existing bond reflecting the name change. Your bond provider may charge a fee for this amendment. Contact them for details.

Can I sign with just my first initial and last name?

Yes, as long as the initial matches the first name on your commission. Your signature on notarial certificates must be identifiable as the name on your commission, but it does not need to spell out every name in full.

What if a signer presents a marriage certificate instead of updated ID?

A marriage certificate is not an acceptable form of identification for notarization. The signer needs a government-issued photo ID (or credible witnesses) that matches the name on the document. They should update their ID with the DMV or passport agency first.

Can I just wait until renewal to change my name?

Yes. When you renew, submit the application in your new legal name. Until the renewal takes effect, continue using the name on your current commission for all notarial acts.