Posted by Beverly Kinlaw on 1/19/12 11:24am
Msg #409443

Notary license

Equifax Settlement has contacted me wanted a copy of my Background check and copy of my Notary License. Surely they are not asking for my license number. Anyone else-what is rule on giving out license number???? NC notary

Reply by HisHughness on 1/19/12 11:30am
Msg #409445

Uh-oh.

Quick, Beverly, do a supplementary post, something along the line that you just walked in and found your next-door neighbor posting on your computer and pretending to be you, and she, silly thing, doesn't know the difference between a license and a commission, but you have jerked her out of the chair, slapped her around, and kicked her ignorant backside out the door. Do it quickly enough, and convincingly enough, and you may save yourself some real bruises and abrasions here on NotRot.

Reply by irish/WA on 1/20/12 1:19am
Msg #409513

Re: Uh-oh.

I was a Notary in California for 9 years and was "commissioned" through the Secretary of State but I became a Notary in Washington 9 years ago and we are "licensed" through the Department of Licensing. It varies from state to state.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 1/19/12 12:01pm
Msg #409449

Beverly - as Hugh pointed out, notaries are commissioned, not licensed. It sounds to me that Equifax wants a copy of your notary commission. In any case, are you objecting to giving them a copy of your commission? I see no problem in providing this and would consider it a standard, sensible request. Some hiring agencies also want a copy of your DL ... and along the road of NSAdom, you will be asked for this many times by borrowers, lenders, TCs, etc. This they would never get from me, but many other notaries have indicated they have no problem turning over their personal info to whoever asks for it in the name of loan signing. Up to you...

Reply by jojo_MN on 1/21/12 10:28pm
Msg #409585

Notary Commission, but Closer Individual License

In Minnesota, I have a Notary Commission; however I also need the Closer Individual License if I explain any documents to customers. The license is quite more expensive than the commission. It is required of anyone (including real estate agents licensed in Minnesota) if they discuss finances with the purchasers.

Reply by MW/VA on 1/19/12 12:06pm
Msg #409452

Companies routinely ask for copies of our Notary Commission,

E&O Insurance, Background Check, etc. They have a valid reason for asking for it, and I have no problem in providing it.

Reply by VT_Syrup on 1/19/12 12:58pm
Msg #409455

Step 1: find your commission. The North Carolina Secretary of State website makes it clear you are commissioned, not licensed.
Step 2: See if your commission has a number. Not all states number commissions.
Step 3: Using the NC SOS site, NC laws, and the NC notary guidebook you were supposed to purchase, find out if your commission is a public record. If it is, what would be the point of not giving out the commission number?

Reply by Lee/AR on 1/19/12 2:28pm
Msg #409459

hijack

Arkansas SOS is online but you'd need to know my name in order to find me there. All it says it that my comm. is in good standing or expired; includes dates. It does NOT provide my Commission number, but my filing number... they are nowhere near the same.

Do other states provide the actual Comm. #??

Reply by Beverly Kinlaw on 1/19/12 2:43pm
Msg #409463

Re: hijack

LOL thanks for the funny and informative comments. I reread the email sent to me by Equifax and funny it did say license/ Of course being busy slapping around my neighbor as suggested in eariler post, I was momentarily having a serious senior moment.
Commission does have number on it but think I will send copy but with my number blocked out on the copy.
Bruised and dejected
Thanks guys

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/19/12 3:05pm
Msg #409465

why are you going to black you number out?

I seriously see no reason to do this - you're a public official - you have your phone number out there for all to see, your address is easily accessible - you presumably advertise to get business in - you're worried about your commission number?? - why hide it?

Hope you have a FEIN for your business ... that adds to your security too.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 1/19/12 3:14pm
Msg #409466

Re: hijack

Uhmm... your notary commission is a matter of public record. There's no reason to black that out. It's regular practice to be asked for a copy of your commission. It's no big deal.

Reply by HisHughness on 1/19/12 5:05pm
Msg #409474

What is the BFD with the commission number frets?

Exactly what is someone supposed to do with your commission number? Far as I know, they can't even open up a Target account with it. Can't buy an airline ticket to hijack a plane to fly into a Disneyland ferris wheel. Can't buy a gun with it. Why is everybody so worried?

Reply by Roger_OH on 1/19/12 3:25pm
Msg #409469

SOS site lists every OH notary & Commission # n/m

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/19/12 3:30pm
Msg #409470

Florida does too - they even once had our addresses

on their site at one time - that's been taken down though

Reply by Saul Leibowitz on 1/19/12 3:55pm
Msg #409471

ILLINOIS and WISCONSIN

Illinois Commissions are numbered and that number and your address also appears in the SOS website.
Wisconsin hasn't numbered my commission the last three times but there was some reorganization last year and commissions are no longer under the SOS so maybe and I repeat maybe new commissions will have numbers.

Reply by UKCowboy_CA on 1/20/12 10:38am
Msg #409524

I have found that the companies who ask for all this extraneous info are the ones who look for every excuse not to pay you.
Also the notaries who hand out this info with out a care are the ones who accept not being paid or chastise their fellow
NotRot members for not accepting late or no payments.

Reply by HisHughness on 1/20/12 11:35am
Msg #409534

It's finally happened: I'm flabbergasted

***I have found that the companies who ask for all this extraneous info***

Your notary commission, extraneous to the notarizing business? That's much like saying that vocal cords are extraneous to a singer.

Reply by Beverly Kinlaw on 2/14/12 11:40am
Msg #411710

Re: It's finally happened: I'm flabbergasted

Wow came back to this later on due to a message from a very nice notary.
Would be nice if I was as "together" as HisHughness is but apparently I am not.
I do think that "HisHughness or is that "Hisrudeness" could have obviously realized that either I am an inexperienced notary or that I was definitely having a senior moment.
My concern, by the way, about giving out license number, was for security reasons.
Did not want to make it easy for someone to get a "stamp" and use it and my name.
Must be nice to have time to reply on these forums with such "insensitive" comments.