Posted by Joan Bergstrom on 10/21/12 5:19pm
Msg #439569

Renewing CA Notaries

It looks like it is taking approximately 12 weeks to get a notary commission.

I looked at the Sec of State processing times today and they are processing August 4 test students.

Give yourself plenty of time.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 10/21/12 7:43pm
Msg #439586

Yes, but...that doesn't mean because they're processing on that date that you'll be receiving your renewal package at any particular time. It just means they are doing the FIRST review and process of files. If they need to follow-up with anyone, this is when they send the letters telling you that you're missing something or need to provide additional information or something of the sort. It also means that even if you took the exam months before that date, you still won't get your commission packet sooner than 30 days before the expiration of your current one. If everything looks in order on the day your "exam date" comes up for review and they see that you're a renewal, they they set your file aside and it sits until 30 days before your commission is due to expire before they send everything out. In many cases, you files could be sitting there for months and months gathering dust, ready to go. But really... better it be done that way than scramble to get it done and you miss something or have a lapse like a lot of people end up doing.

For example, my current commission expires next month. I should be getting my renewal package from them any day now...or so I hope.... but won't be surprised if I don't see it until the beginning of November, though. I wish they'd give us 6 weeks rather than 30 days or less to get things done, especially when we often have to rely on mail order of new supplies and to be sure they're ready in time.

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 10/21/12 10:24pm
Msg #439612

Mariam right about renewing notaries receiving their commissions 30 days before the old one expires, but I was really trying to encourage the notaries to take the exam at least 3-4 months for the old one expires. I suggest 4 months would be a good choice.

I am getting more and more notaries that, think if they take the exam 6 weeks before his/her expires, they will be okay and that is probably not the case.

From what I hear from the students, they get their notary commission in the mail 7-10 after their processing date. This is an estimate on my part.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 10/21/12 11:46pm
Msg #439619

When I took my exam, it was HILARIOUS to me to sit and watch some of the people. I was one of the first to check in and I ended up sitting right behind the proctors who were checking people in.

At least half of the people there had re-take vouchers with them, meaning they'd already managed to fail the test once before.

One guy said that his commission was expiring that coming week and the only reason he was even there was because his boss was forcing him to do it. He didn't realize that he was going to likely have a lapse in his commission. He started swearing and said, "How come nobody told me to come in earlier? My boss is going to kill me!"

And several people nearby all agreed, saying things like, "Yeah I expire this month too." and "I didn't know it took so long, either."

Another girl was there for her initial exam. She didn't bring in her passport photo. I swear she was stoned, too. When they tried to explain to her about the photo she said, "Well, here's my phone, just take one of me." They tried to tell here that she had enough time that she could run down to the Costco nearby and get a photo for $7 - that they were doing them for anyone that day even non-members. The girl said, "That's too much trouble." So they told her that she could still take the exam, but that they wouldn't process her application until she sent in the photo. The girl said, "Well, I'll just email them my photo when I get home."

I really don't know how these people don't know this stuff. Where are they hiding?

Reply by 101livescan on 10/21/12 9:29pm
Msg #439600

As many business environments go these days, everyone is grumpy, overworked, underpaid, forced furloughs, not enough hands on deck, although with declining notary renewals, you'd think it would balance out. Three years ago, although I took exam in April, my commission arrived only two days before the previous one expired, and I pretty much was having major palpitations until I finally received it to order my stamp and bond. It was a nightmare. Can't wait to do it again this next year.

Reply by doglover/CA on 10/21/12 10:25pm
Msg #439613

How far in advance do you recommend that we start the process? My commission expires the end of September next year. Last time I renewed, three years ago, I took the test in May and got my paperwork back from the SOS a month before the commission expiration.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 10/21/12 11:35pm
Msg #439617

Honestly... you should start at least 6-9 months ahead. Take your class, then the exam.... then the fingerprints. Some people do it all in the same day. I don't.... (don't worry, I won't get started on why I think that's a terrible idea)

It's far better that you get it done EARLY than you wait, especially if you end up having issues with your background check. It may not even be your fault. You may have a more common name and they need time to verify they aren't confusing you with somebody else. Or, it could be that the person who did you live scan didn't get good prints... or you might just have bad fingertips that make scanning difficult. Let's say you have a bad cut on your finger and it's healing. It might skew something.

You just never really know. Better you do it early. You can take the class up to a year before your commission expired, so don't stress yourself out over it... schedule it early and get it done at your leisure. That way, you know what it's time, everything is ready to go.

IN fact, for the most part if you DON'T hear from them after you get your test scores back and you submit your live scan... that's a good thing. IT means there's nothing wrong with your application.

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 10/22/12 12:14am
Msg #439622

Fingerprinting

The finger prints are good for all 4 years, but in particular they are good for 6 months. You would have to fail the test 6 times in a row, and I don't think that has ever happened!! LOL

We fingerprint at class but you can do it at many other places.

Mirian is right: the only people that know their results of his/her background check are the notaries who fail it or have issues that need to be answered.

If you don't hear you are commissiomed. Yeah!

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 10/22/12 12:55am
Msg #439628

Desperado...

...or if you live 12 miles from the SOS office, and your commission is expiring in two days and you passed the test 3 months before and did the live scan 4 months before, then take a big plate of homebaked brownies and white chocolate, macademia nut cookies down to the front counter, thank them soooo much for all their hard work on behalf of notaries, and BTW is there any chance they could pleasepleaseplease move your application to the top of the pile? Bada bing, Bada boom, you walk out with your commission, you dash down to "Notary Seals Made in 15 Minutes," and you're back in business! Nothin' to it.

Well, not exactly. It worked once, but I wouldn't recommend it. Like Marian said, get it done early and avoid the stress.

BTW, at my last test, clearly most of the notaries were there because their employer required it (bank/insurance). They were a pretty chipper group, young, well dressed, clear skin, chatty, smiling (even the ones who were back for the second or third try). Then, there were a handful of renewing NSAs, battle scarred, grizzled, wary eyes, pasty skin, clenched jaws, looking like they'd just gone 15 rounds with a crazed SS and a psycho borrower. A couple of them clearly had just come from a loan signing and had another scheduled and would be on their way as soon as they could get out of this hell-hole patroled by a half-dozen matronly proctors. Wearing brown, clumpy heeled lace-up shoes, these grim brunhildes would continuously clomp heavily and noisily throughout the aisles, making sure no test-taker was peeking or cheating or filling in answers after the timer went off. Meanwhile, the classroom wall clock tick-tocked loudly, like a time bomb.

The things we CA notaries go through. And to think we actually have to pay for all this.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 10/22/12 1:19am
Msg #439630

Re: Desperado...

"BTW, at my last test, clearly most of the notaries were there because their employer required it (bank/insurance). They were a pretty chipper group, young, well dressed, clear skin, chatty, smiling (even the ones who were back for the second or third try). Then, there were a handful of renewing NSAs, battle scarred, grizzled, wary eyes, pasty skin, clenched jaws, looking like they'd just gone 15 rounds with a crazed SS and a psycho borrower. A couple of them clearly had just come from a loan signing and had another scheduled and would be on their way as soon as they could get out of this hell-hole patroled by a half-dozen matronly proctors. Wearing brown, clumpy heeled lace-up shoes, these grim brunhildes would continuously clomp heavily and noisily throughout the aisles, making sure no test-taker was peeking or cheating or filling in answers after the timer went off. Meanwhile, the classroom wall clock tick-tocked loudly, like a time bomb."

That pretty well sums it up!!! What gets me is all the pretty chipper ones that were there with the retake vouchers... were all huddled together with their XYZ training manuals quizzing each other, many of the complaining about how hard the test was and how how it was some kind of badge of honor that it took most people in their office 3-4 tries to pass the exam.

Inside, I'm thinking... shoot, if I miss more than 2 questions I'll be humiliated. If I manage to fail, I have no business renewing my commission.

Reply by 101livescan on 10/22/12 7:48am
Msg #439645

Re: Desperado...

Couldn't have described this scenario any better...wonder how many will ditch it after four years, and take another job that does not require the notary function as part of their employment.

Takes a good strong character to hang in with this NSA work after getting the commission. Not a "brownie/cookie" walk for sure!

Reply by rengel/CA on 10/22/12 1:40pm
Msg #439689

SOS office folks are great!

Several years ago when I sent in my name change for my commission (renewed in Feb, got married in July) I waited months and months and I still never received my commission in the new name.

I had to stop by the SOS office (downtown Sacramento) for something else so I stopped by the notary office and just inquired as to how long it takes. The gal at the front desk went to the back office, found my name change notice and took care of it right then and there.

They really are nice people.

My .02 :-)