Customer Alerts:

Extension of Notary Public Commissions

On May 8, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-63-20 (see paragraphs 6 and 7), extending commissions of notaries public for a period of 60 days for any notary public whose commission term has expired since March 1, 2020 or whose commission is set to expire over the next 60 days.

Notary public commission terms that expired anytime between March 1, 2020 and May 7, 2020, have been extended until July 6, 2020.

Notary public commission terms that expired after May 7, 2020 through July 7, 2020, are extended for 60 days on a rolling basis (i.e., someone whose commission expires on May 8, 2020, will have their commission extended until July 7, 2020, and someone whose commission expires on July 6, 2020 will have their commission extended until September 4, 2020).

This extension is valid provided the notary public whose commission term has been extended, maintains a valid surety bond during the extension, and annotates on each notarial act the following statement: “The notary commission extended pursuant to Executive Order N-63-20.”

Acceptance of Expired California Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards

As a result of Executive Order N-63-20, California Drivers Licenses and Identification cards that expired on March 1, 2020 or later, must be accepted for a period of 60 days by California notaries public to establish satisfactory evidence of the individual appearing before them. Our office recommends that notaries public annotate in their journal the expired Driver’s License or Identification Card was accepted due to Executive Order N-63-20.