Notary Notes Blog

The latest notary news for Pennsylvania notaries

PAN

PAN Members: Want a chance to win a $100? Our Recruit-A-Member Program Returns

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We are bringing back our Recruit-A-Member Program!

All current PAN members can earn chances to win $100. All you have to do is introduce a new member to all the benefits the Association has to offer. When they order a First Time Notary Appointment or Notary Reappointment package during the recruiting period, make sure they give your Customer Number as a referral. This can be entered on our website during the checkout process, or given to a PAN Customer Service Representative when the order is placed over the phone.

The current recruiting period is January, February, and March. The winner will be announced on April 1st.

Each new member you recruit gives you one chance to win $100. Five new members – means five chances to win. The more members you recruit, the more chances you have to win!

There are four recruitment periods per year, so if you are unable to refer anyone this time, the next recruiting period will be April, May, and June.

A member may win $100 only once in a calendar year. Education providers authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of State, PAN employees and their family members are not eligible for the prize.

Good Luck!

PennDOT Real ID Update

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After October 1, 2021, anyone going through airport security or entering most federal buildings will need a Real ID, a passport or a military identification.

PennDOT estimates that nearly 300,000 Pennsylvanians haven’t applied for their Real ID yet. Kurt Myers, PennDOT’s deputy secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services, believes that the department shouldn’t have any problem handling that many customers by the deadline.

“We’re by no means at full capacity right now,” Myers said. “We can certainly handle more people. We want to be sure we are meeting our customers’ needs as well as we can while keeping them safe.”

PennDOT plans to make a big marketing push early in 2021 to remind residents that the cards are available and the deadline is looming.

“We’re still planning to do the campaign that had been set for last summer,” Myers said. “That will definitely occur.”

Notary Exam Authorizations Extended

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The Department of State has granted an additional extension for notary applicants who have to take the exam. This extension has been executed in Pearson VUE’s database but it will not be reflected in the Department of State’s database.

Any applicant whose exam authorization has expired or will expire between March 1 and December 31, 2020 will have until June 30, 2021 to take and pass the notary public examination.

The Department’s COVID-19 Notary Public FAQs will be updated to include this extension.

PAN Van Delivers Donations to Families in Need

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PAN VanOne of PAN’s company cars was used as Santa’s sleigh on Saturday, December 19th. PAN educator, Kathy, her sister, and other volunteers delivered Christmas gifts, groceries, and some furniture directly to two families in need in the Pittsburgh area.

At the suggestion of their church congregation, two single mothers received kitchen tables and chairs to help with their living spaces. Donors also provided at least a week’s worth of groceries, the toys on the children’s Christmas list, clothes that were on the mothers’ lists for the children, boots for the winter, and something for each mother. All the gifts were prewrapped to be a surprise on Christmas. Four SUVs, including the PAN vehicle, delivered these items to the families’ doorsteps. Both families were very thankful for the generous donations.

One mother’s message to those who provided the donations read, “Thank you guys again for everything, my daughter lit up when she saw the gifts under the tree, and I don’t have to worry about food and such for a while, so I can save the money. Just wanted to let you know how much it really means to us, and how much you helped.”

Kathy has been helped along in her life, and it has inspired her to give back to the community in any way she can. “If we all give a little we get more back in return. It feels wonderful to be able to help someone. It struck me that some people cannot save because they are buying food for their children; to supply just a small amount gives others a huge opportunity.”

 

The Department of State’s Disciplinary Actions – November 2020

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Two notaries from two counties were disciplined by the Department of State for violations against the notary public law.

Allegheny County

A notary in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, was suspended for six months, immediately stayed in favor of probation; levied a civil penalty of $500; a probation assessment of $300; and must complete six hours of remedial education because she failed to know through personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence that the person appearing before her was the person described in and who was executing the instrument by failing to require a personal appearance, failed to keep and maintain custody and control of an accurate chronological register of all official notarial acts performed, failed to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public, and failed to be of good character, integrity and ability.

Montgomery County

A notary in Norristown, Montgomery County was suspended for twelve months, immediately stayed in favor of probation; levied an administrative penalty of $500; a probation assessment of $600; and must complete six hours of remedial education because she failed to be of good character, integrity and ability by being convicted of a felony or an offense involving fraud, dishonesty or deceit, or by pleading guilty to Theft by Deception-False Impression, a third-degree felony.

Learn more about the Basis for Disciplinary Actions.

Odometer Exemption Change Effective January 1, 2021

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The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final ruling to amend the odometer disclosure exemption from 10 years to 20 years. The final rule is effective January 1, 2021.

Under the amended rule, beginning with the 2011 model year and every model year thereafter, states are obligated to capture odometer disclosures for these vehicles for 20 years. In 2031, 2011 model year vehicles will become exempt from the odometer disclosure requirement. Each year after 2031, a subsequent model year (2012, 2013, 2014, etc.) will become exempt.

Also of January 1, 2021, when agents see a 2011 model year or newer vehicle with an out-of-state title branded “exempt” and are transferring the out-of-state title into a Pennsylvania Certificate of Title, agents are required to record the vehicle’s odometer reading on the PA record and apply the odometer status code “2 – Not actual mileage.”

Details—including a chart of model years and exemption dates—are included in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT’s) Driver and Vehicle Services Update Bulletin 20-24. The bulletin will be posted on PennDOT’s website at https://www.dmv.pa.gov/Information-Centers/Business-Partner/Pages/Driver-and-Vehicle-Services-Bulletin.aspx.