Plum Notary, located in Plum Borough, PA, is looking for a part-time Notary/Title Agent to provide notarial services and process PennDOT, DCNR and Fish & Boat Commission transactions. Part-time schedule is approximately 28 hours per week including 2 Saturdays (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) per month. Notary commission preferred. Will train as motor vehicle agent. Salary dependent upon experience. Looking for someone to start immediately. E-mail your resume to [email protected]
General
The Department of State’s Disciplinary Actions: April 2021
The Bureau of Election Services and Notaries took the following disciplinary actions against notaries public in April 2021:
- A Philadelphia County notary had their commission revoked, based on their failure to require the personal appearance of a document signer, failure to update their business address with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, failure to be of good character, integrity, and ability, and failure to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of the office of notary public.
- A notary located in Lakewood, NY, agreed to a suspension of their notary commission for 11 months for failing to include a notarial certificate on a document that was subject to a notarial act by forging signatures and then notarizing those signatures.
The Department of State’s Disciplinary Actions: March 2021
The Bureau of Election Services and Notaries took the following disciplinary actions against notaries public in March 2021:
- An Adams County notary had their commission revoked, based on actions in notarizing a signed document wherein one signer was
deceased. Respondent is subject to disciplinary action for actions occurring under the Notary Public Law, 57 P.S. §168, in that Respondent failed to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public, failed to establish identity of all parties, and failed to record notarial transactions and keep a notarial register. - A Philadelphia County notary had their Commission revoked, based on 2018 guilty pleas to Forgery, Identity Theft, Making False Application for Title Registration, and Criminal Conspiracy to commit Identity Theft. Respondent is subject to disciplinary action under the
Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, 57 Pa.C.S. §323(a), in that the respondent lacks the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability to hold the office of notary public based on his convictions for offenses involving fraud, dishonesty or deceit. Additionally, Respondent failed to maintain custody and control of his notary seal in September 2017. Respondent’s notary seal was unsecured at his business location and Respondent was not present. - A Washington County notary permanently and voluntarily surrendered their notary commission because they failed to require the personal appearance of the person executing the instrument subject to a notarial act, and failed to be of good character, integrity, and ability.
- A Washington County notary permanently and voluntarily surrendered their notary commission because they failed to be of good character, integrity and ability by failing to require a personal appearance and failing to maintain an accurate notary register.
Why are notaries still important?
Notaries have been an integral part of our society for decades. The first notaries can be traced back to ancient Egypt when scribes were established. Scribes would keep records of public proceedings and transcribe important documents. Performing such acts at that time increased the authority of the notary public, resulting in the responsibilities that notaries hold today.
Notaries are public officials appointed by the state to serve as impartial witnesses to transactions, thereby helping to deter fraud. Having a document notarized means the signer must appear before the notary and be identified. The notary observes the signer’s willingness and ability to understand the document and watches the signer place or acknowledge their signature on the document. Finally, the notary makes a complete, chronological entry for the notarization in the notary journal.
You may still find yourself asking: why are notaries necessary? It seems everything can be done on the internet, from signing a mortgage to giving testimony in court. During the pandemic, government and industry increasingly used online alternatives to serve the public while maintaining quarantine and social distancing requirements.
But technology, such as remote online notarization (RON), hasn’t replaced the need for notaries public. In fact, RON has become another option for providing notarial services.
All the steps a notary must take are intended to prevent fraud and assure the receiver of the document that the notary performed his or her duties according to the law. All of these steps are also incorporated into RON transactions, with the additional safeguard of having an audio video recording of the notarial act.
Even in the electronic age, the office of notary public is still an important function.
PAN’s Recruit-A-Member Program
Our Recruit-A-Member winner this month is Wyatt Zong. Congratulations!
PAN members can still win cash for bringing new members into the association during this recruiting period.
All members can earn chances to win $100. The current recruiting period is April, May, and June. Just introduce a new member to all the benefits the Association has to offer. Your name will be entered into a drawing to be held July 1. The more members you recruit, the more chances you have to win. The next Recruit-A-Member winner will be announced in July 1, 2021.
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 July, August, and September.
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.
Remember, only current PAN members are eligible for the prize and only new PAN members who purchase a First Time Notary Appointment package or Notary Reappointment package will be counted as recruits.
Good Luck!
Philadelphia Notary Commissions During COVID-19
The Records Department in the City of Philadelphia is open, but in-person services are by appointment only.
If you wish to process your notary commission in person, including being sworn in, appointments are available on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to noon, and 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Due to high demand, there may be a wait time for an appointment.
E-mail is [email protected] to schedule an appointment. The Recording Room is in City Hall, Room 111. The phone number 215-686-1483.
If you do not wish to process your commission in person, you can follow an alternative mail-in process. Details are provided by the Records Department here.