Notary Handbook - the Montana Secretary of State Website

INSTRUCTIONS FOR UPDATING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Montana law requires notaries to notify the Secretary of State’s office in writing if any of their contact information
changes during the term of their commission. [1-5-409(1) and (2), MCA] You may photocopy and use the form on
the following page to submit such changes to the Secretary of State’s office at the address below, or you may
download a copy from our website. Send it to the address listed on the form.
Requests for changes to the notary’s name must be accompanied by a rider or stipulation issued by the bonding
company.
The Secretary of State will issue an amended certificate for notaries who are submitting changes to their name or
city of residence so that the notary can obtain a new seal/stamp as required.
There is no charge for these changes. The Contact Information Update form is on the next page.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATES
The Certificate of Commission is the official document certifying that you are a commissioned notary for the State
of Montana. You should be diligent in maintaining your certificate in a safe and secure place where you can easily
access it when you are asked for it. You should never give the original certificate to anyone else.
The request form must be signed by the notary, using the notary’s official signature. A verification of the signature
will be made prior to issuing the replacement.
The Replacement Certificate Request form is on page 23. There is a $10 fee for a replacement certificate.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESIGNING YOUR COMMISSION
Should you find it necessary to resign your commission during your term of office, please notify the Secretary of
State’s office in writing of your intent, including the date on which you intend the resignation to be effective. If you
resign at the end of a term and choose not to request a reappointment, it is not necessary to advise this office.
Upon resignation or termination of your commission, whether voluntary or involuntary, the law requires that
you turn your notary journal over to the secretary of state’s office and destroy your seal/stamp. If a notary dies
while in office, the law requires that the notary’s personal representative turn the journal(s) into the secretary of
state’s office and destroys the seal. A copy of electronic records in a digital format must be submitted if the notary
used an electronic journal. Be sure that the notary’s name is entered in the journal or on the media submitted.
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