What Happens When Your Washington Notary Commission Expires or Lapses

The Moment Your Commission Expires, You Are No Longer a Notary

There is no grace period. When your four-year Washington notary commission reaches its expiration date — the date printed on your stamp — you lose all authority to perform notarial acts. Any notarization you perform after that date is void, and the document may need to be re-executed with a currently commissioned notary.

This catches people for two reasons. First, the expiration date is tied to your surety bond term under WAC 308-30-050, and bond expiration dates do not always align with when you think you started. Second, the DOL does not send automatic renewal reminders. If you lose track of your expiration date, you will not find out from the state.

Expired vs. Lapsed: The Practical Difference

An expired commission is one that reached the end of its four-year term. This is the normal end of a commission lifecycle. You knew it was coming (or should have), and the process to get back to active status is a standard renewal — essentially a new application.

A lapsed commission is one that terminated mid-term because the surety bond was cancelled, failed to renew, or otherwise became inactive before the commission's expiration date. Under WAC 308-30-050, your commission term is linked directly to your bond. If your bonding company cancels your bond — for nonpayment, a claim, or any other reason — your commission is automatically suspended.

A lapsed commission is more urgent because it can happen without warning. If you received your bond through your employer and they stopped paying the premium, your bond may lapse before you realize it. You would be performing notarizations without active authority, exposing yourself to personal liability.

What You Cannot Do with an Expired or Lapsed Commission

• Perform any notarial act — no acknowledgments, no jurats, no oaths, no copy certifications, no remote online notarizations
• Use your stamp — affixing an expired commission stamp to any document is a misrepresentation, regardless of whether you knew the commission had expired
• Charge fees for notarial services
• Hold yourself out as a notary public in any advertising, business card, website, or directory listing

The consequences of notarizing with an expired commission range from the notarization being challenged and voided (requiring re-execution) to potential disciplinary action by the DOL if the act was knowing.

How to Reinstate or Renew

Washington does not have a formal "reinstatement" process that reactivates your old commission. Whether your commission expired naturally or lapsed mid-term, the path back is the same: you apply for a new commission.

The renewal application process:

1. Secure a new $10,000 surety bond (or confirm your existing bond is still active and can be extended for a new four-year term)
2. Execute a new Oath of Office — the same Form NP-659-009 process as your initial application, notarized by a currently commissioned notary
3. Submit the renewal application through the SecureAccess Washington (SAW) portal or by mail, with the $42 renewal fee (slightly higher than the $40 initial application fee)
4. Wait for DOL processing — online submissions typically take 10–14 business days; paper applications approximately 30 calendar days
5. Order a new stamp once your new commission certificate is issued (your old stamp has your expired commission number and date — it cannot be reused)

If you also held the electronic records endorsement or the RON endorsement, those expired with your base commission. You will need to re-apply for each endorsement separately ($15 for the electronic endorsement, $0 for RON).

The Gap Period Problem

Between the date your commission expired and the date your new commission activates, you are in a gap where you cannot notarize. For workplace notaries, this means someone else must handle notarizations during the gap. For mobile notaries and signing agents, this is lost income.

To avoid the gap, submit your renewal application at least 30 days before your current commission expires. The DOL allows early renewal submissions — your new four-year term starts from the approval date, not from the old expiration date, so there is no penalty for applying early.

What to Do with Your Old Stamp and Journal

When your commission expires (whether you renew or not):

• Destroy your old stamp. Even if you are renewing, your new commission will have a different expiration date and may have a different commission number. The old stamp is no longer valid and must be destroyed to prevent misuse.
• Keep your old journal. The 10-year retention requirement under RCW 42.45.180 runs from the date of each journal entry, not from your commission expiration. If you performed a notarization three years into your term, you must retain that journal entry for seven more years after your commission ends.
• Start a new journal for your new commission. Do not continue recording in your old journal under a new commission number.

Tracking Your Expiration

The simplest safeguard is checking your stamp — the expiration date is printed right on it. Set a calendar reminder for 60 days before that date. The Washington Notary Commission guide includes the full renewal timeline and a maintenance tracker that flags your renewal window so the gap problem never happens.

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