A recent name change got you worried? Don’t stress, we’ve got you covered.

“I recently got married and changed my name. With all the stress of wedding planning I forgot about my Florida notary commission. What should I do now?”

First off, congratulations!

Secondly, don’t stress. We’ve got you covered.

According to Florida Statute 117.05 (9) you have 60 days after the name change to notify, in writing, the Department of State of the name change. Unless you are taking a honeymoon trip around the world, (In which case you should consider taking your favorite Florida notary bonding agency along!) then you should be fine.

According to the Governor’s Reference Manual for Notaries Public, any notary public who lawfully changes his or her name shall, within 60 days after such change, request an amended commission from the Secretary of State and shall send $25, his or her current commission, and a notice of change form, obtained from the Secretary of State, which shall include the new name and contain a specimen of his or her official signature. The Secretary of State shall issue an amended commission to the notary public in the new name. A rider to the notary public’s bond must accompany the notice of change form. After submitting the required notice of change form and rider to the Secretary of State, the notary public may continue to perform notarial acts in his or her former name for 60 days or until receipt of the amended commission, whichever date is earlier.” Fla. Stat. § 117.05(9).

If you would like to discuss your Florida notary commission name change further and the requirements to complete it, please call us, Notary Public Underwriters, your Florida notary bonding agency. We are always happy to help you navigate the Florida notary name change process. You can reach our Florida notary service department at (800) 821-0821.