Part 5, Section 1
Change of Notary’s Address

If you move or change your principal place of business, you must notify the Secretary of State within 30 days in writing and by certified mail.  Government Code § 8213.5.

This notice, which can be in letter form, must include the following information:

• Your name, exactly as it appears on your commission
• Your commission number
• Why you are changing your address (is it for your business, home, or just a new mailing address)
• Your new address
• Date and sign your notice

You may use a commercial mail receiving agency or post office box as your “mailing address”, but you must provide a physical address as your principal place of business and a physical address as your residence. 
Government Code § 8213.5

If your move takes you out of the county where your oath and bond are on file, but you are still within California, you may file a new oath and bond in the county you moved to, but it is not required.  A California notary can perform notarial services anywhere within California.  However, if you do have your oath and bond moved to another county, you must, within 30 days, acquire a new notary seal indicating the county in which your oath and bond are filed.

This notification to the Secretary of State may seem like a trivial matter, but it can carry heavy penalties if not done.  Failing to notify the Secretary of State of a change of address can result in your commission being suspended or revoked, as well as civil penalties, and you could be charged with an infraction which carries a fine of up to $500. 

If you move out of California, you must resign your California notary commission by notifying the Secretary of State and surrendering your notarial journals and papers to the county clerk’s office where your oath and bond are on file.  If you elect to become a notary in another state, you must start the application process anew in that state.  Your California notary commission is not transferable to another state.
 

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