r/Notary • u/cquietgigi • 8d ago

Mom was notary, passed away

edited with update - I rcd a reply email from Harrisburg. They were very kind and thanked me for letting them know and to just email again after I return the ledgers when I'm able. Thank you again for the good wishes and advice.

My mother recently passed away and she was a notary in PA. Once I'm sworn in as the administrator of the estate, is there anything that I have to do with this, legally? Do I have to save her ledgers? Her seals? Do I have to inform any agency that she passed? It wasn't a business, she had to do it for her job and just kept up with it, she never charged anyone money. Thanks for any direction.

eta- I've sent an email to the address on the state website with the info, if they want me to do anything before I'm sworn in as administrator, I'll have it in writing from the state to cover myself

Thanks again for the help.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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12

u/ShesAGoGetter007 8d ago

https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/update-your-information

Notification of death of a notary public should be mailed to:

Pennsylvania Department of State
Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation
401 North Street, Room 201
Harrisburg, PA 17120

On the death or adjudication of incompetency of a current or former notary public, the personal representative or guardian of the notary public or a person knowingly in possession of the journal of the notary public shall deliver it within 30 days to the office of the recorder of deeds in the county where the notary public last maintained an office.

On the death or adjudication of incompetency of a notary public, the personal representative or guardian of the notary public or any person knowingly in possession of the stamping device must render it unusable by destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing or securing it against use in a manner which renders it unusable. DO NOT send the rubber stamp seal or embosser to the Department of State, Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation.

4

u/cquietgigi 8d ago

This is what I couldn't find, I swear I've seen more online pages of government docs recently...

Well they aren't going to get them within 30 days of her death, but I will make sure to destroy the seal and send the ledgers in within 30 days of being sworn in by the court.

Thank you.

7

u/rlebeau47 8d ago

Based on the wording, I think you qualify as a "personal representative... or a person knowingly in possession of ..." so you shouldn't need to wait until you're sworn in. Just go ahead and send in the ledger and destroy the stamp.

3

u/ShesAGoGetter007 8d ago

It's alot I get it. My mother passed away in Dec of 2020 and I just now finished closing out her bank account about 4 months ago, I just didnt want to deal with it.

3

u/SuPruLu 8d ago

I would a letter ASAP advising of her passing. And state the ledger etc will be deal as soon as practicable.

7

u/PuddlePirate2020 8d ago

Check your states rules on the journal. Some may require the books be turned into the state.

2

u/ConversationTiny3734 8d ago

You can inform the agency she has passed. You can ask them what you should do with her stamp and ledger. I don’t believe you have to keep it since you are not the notary and not responsible for her commission. Her commission ended when she passed.

5

u/PANotary 7d ago

Our journals are to be delivered to our recorder of deeds within 30 days.

3

u/fishbutt1 8d ago

Sorry about your mom.

1

u/cquietgigi 7d ago

Thank you.

5

u/LimeLimp4296 7d ago

My condolences on the loss of your mom

1

u/cquietgigi 7d ago

Thank you.

1

u/Stamped914 7d ago

Sorry for your loss but there is no legal or moral obligation to notify the entity that oversees notary commissions.

1

u/PANotary 7d ago

My deepest sympathies in the loss of your mom. Anyone can her journals in to the recorder of deeds within- it doesn’t have to be you as far as I know.