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also include a letter of justification from your new employer stating why your
new employer wants you to continue your notary commission, the types of
documents and approximate number of transactions expected to be performed
each month, and that you are aware that you are a general notary and will have to
serve the general public. For change of address, you must state old and new
addresses of your residence, if there is a change in your residence address; the old
and new addresses of your business, if there is a change in your business address;
and the effective date of such address change.
25. Q. I recently got married/divorced, and my last name has changed. What
should I do?
A. You must submit to the NPP a name change form, which you can obtain from the
NPP website, along with copies of the legal documentation (e.g., marriage
certificate, divorce decree, or name change) reflecting your name change.
26. Q. My commission will expire soon. How do I renew my commission?
A. A renewal application is mailed out to each Hawaii notary public approximately
two months prior to the notary’s expiration date. Note: it is important that
notaries public keep the NPP updated with any address changes, as we will mail
each renewal application to the address we have on record. The commission of a
notary public is forfeited if the notary public knowingly fails to submit a
completed renewal application, pay the renewal fee, or complete the processing
and filing of a commission for renewal by the date of expiration of the notary
public's commission. A failure to renew shall be deemed knowingly if notice of
renewal is sent to the last address on file for the notary public and the notary
public fails to complete all these requirements. Any person seeking to restore the
person's forfeited commission more than one year from the date of expiration of
the commission shall reapply as a new applicant for a notary public commission.
27. Q. My commission expires tomorrow, but I haven't turned in my renewal
application form. If I turn it in today, will my new commission be ready
tomorrow? Can I continue to notarize?
A. No, for both questions. Renewal application forms may take approximately one
to two weeks to review and process. Once your renewal application has been
approved, the NPP will send you a notice with instructions for the next step,
which is to obtain your surety bond. The NPP will then mail you a letter
informing you to come and pick up your commission papers (Oahu notaries only;
the NPP will mail neighbor island notaries their commission packets). After you
pick up or receive your notary commission papers, you must take them to the
circuit court to be filed and approved. For your information, there is a waiting
period of approximately ten days for approval of the bond by the judge. Because
renewal applications are mailed out approximately two months prior to your
expiration date, we suggest that once you receive it, you immediately complete
the application and return it, along with the $40.00 renewal fee so that there will
not be a lapse of time between your notary commission terms. Any notarial act
performed after the termination, revocation, or suspension of a commission
subjects the notarial act to questions or contest of validity.