Notary Notes Magazine - DEMO - (Page 5)

NOTARY NOTES Complete All Appointment and Reappointment Tasks Before You Notarize f the 32 Pennsylvania notaries who were disciplined in 2007, eight were assessed civil penalties of up to $1,000 and ordered to attend a notary public practices and review course because they failed to get sworn in by the local recorder of deeds. Remember, you cannot notarize a document until you have taken the oath of office and been sworn in by the recorder. O 2. 3. When you apply for appointment or reappointment as a notary in Pennsylvania, there are tasks you must complete before you can begin notarizing documents for your customers. As a member of PAN, we will assist you every step of the way. You must follow these steps: 1. Obtain an education certificate by completing the three hours of notary education required by the Common- 4. 5. 6. 7. wealth. If you were a notary on July 1, 2003, you can skip this step. PAN offers classes throughout the state (see Page 16) and strongly recommends that all notaries take classes. Complete the notary application and attach a copy of your education certificate to the application. Mail the application to your state senator requesting his or her endorsement. Do not send the $40 fee. Receive the endorsed application back from your state senator. Mail the endorsed application to PAN. Receive the Commonwealth’s notice of appointment and a blank bond form. If you are applying for reappointment, you will receive your notice and bond approximately two weeks before your commission expires. Mail the bond form to PAN for execution. Do not sign or write on the bond. 8. Receive your executed bond from PAN and take it to the local recorder of deeds and take the oath of office. Make sure you call your local recorder’s office for fees and hours. Special note to notaries in Allegheny County: After going to the Department of Real Estate (formerly the Recorder of Deeds) office you must also go to the Department of Court Records Civil Division to record your signature. You must then go to the Department of Court Records Criminal Division with appropriate fees and register your signature . Remember, even though you have received your equipment from PAN and a notice of appointment from the Secretary’s office, you are not a notary until you have been sworn in by the recorder of deeds. You become a notary the moment you take the oath of office. CSR Handles a Wide Range of Customers’ Bond Questions f you have called the PAN office with a question regarding a bond, there’s a good chance Diane Seitz, a customer service representative in the Bond Department, answered your question. I customer service representatives aren’t sure about the answer, they will pass a bond question from a motor vehicle messenger or dealer to me.” When she first started with the company, Seitz was one of two customer service representatives in the Bond Department. Today, there are five customer service representatives and a Bond Department manager working the telephones. “We’ve really expanded,” Seitz said. “Back when I first started, we wrote a limited number of bonds, and our coverage area was limited. We could not write bonds for mortgage brokers or private investigators in those days. Now we are a lot more varied when it comes to writing bonds, and we’re licensed in every state.” Seitz, who is married and has two adult sons, enjoys the variety she sees in her job every day. “The best part of the job is the interaction we have with customers,” she said. “We deal with different people from all parts of the country. You’re learning something new just about every day.” Seitz, who lives north of Pittsburgh, says chasing people for money is the worst part of her job. “Hunting people down for payment is not a lot of fun.” However, when customers are looking for answers, Seitz is happy to help them. And, if you ever had a bond question, chances are Seitz has helped you get the answer you need. Seitz has been working in the department since January 1994. She handles a wide range of bonds including guardian bonds, title insurance agent bonds, auctioneer bonds, collection agency bonds and, according to Seitz, other “odd stuff.” “I started out doing bonds for messengers, dealers and full agents in the motor vehicle industry,” Seitz said. “So even today, when some of our new www.notary.org June/July 2008 | Notary Notes | Page 5 http://www.notary.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Notary Notes Magazine - DEMO

Notary Notes Magazine - DEMO Contents From PAN’s Mailbox From the President’s Desk Notary Notes is Going Green PAN Can Help Member Businesses Complete All Appointment and Reappointment Tasks Before You Notarize CSR Handles a Wide Range of Customers’ Bond Questions PAN and Staples Work Together to Make it Easy for Members PAN Member Slowing Down (Well, Sort of) After 45 Years PA Recorder of Deeds Fees 2008 Notary 101: Protect Yourself Against Liability When Will You Need E&O? Sister of Mercy Appreciates PAN Attorney Knows Notary Law When it Comes to Venue To Keep or Not to Keep Copies Signing Up for Protection: Another Bill-and-Ralph Story Affidavits Spring Into Action Against Trampolines Pennsylvania Announces Notary Disciplinary Actions Help Us Prevent ID Theft The Electronic Notary: Electronic Notary Initiative Moving Slowly Seminar Schedules Know Your Forms: MV-44 Form MV-913 Revised for 2008 NASCAR Race Season Environmental Protection Publishes Final CARB Certification Regulations Old Editions of MV-4ST are Obsolete June 1

Notary Notes Magazine - DEMO

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