Washington Amends Notary Licensing Provisions

The state of Washington replaced all existing sections of its notary licensing provisions and added new sections to Chapter 308-30 of the Washington Administrative Code in order to implement the provisions of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.  The newly-added sections generally focus on electronic notarization, whereas the replacements provide greater specificity regarding the state’s previous notary requirements.  The provisions become effective on July 1, 2018.

The amendment includes many important provisions, including: specific rules regarding a person’s ability to apply for a notary public commission; requirements for notarial acts; rules regarding electronic notarial acts and the technology providers who facilitate their issuance and signature; maximum fees a notary may charge for notarial acts, and new fees that the Department of Licensing may charge notaries.

Washington’s adopted version of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts is accessible here.