Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or condition commission of notary public.
RCW 42.45.210
in effect(1) In addition to conduct defined as unprofessional under RCW 18.235.130 , the director may take action as provided for in RCW 18.235.110 against a commission as notary public for any act or omission that demonstrates the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability to act as a notary public, including: (a) Failure to comply with this chapter; (b) A fraudulent, dishonest, or deceitful misstatement or omission in the application for a commission as a notary public submitted to the department; (c) A conviction of the applicant or notary public of any felony or crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit; (d) A finding against, or admission of liability by, the applicant or notary public in any legal proceeding or disciplinary action based on the applicant's or notary public's fraud, dishonesty, or deceit; (e) Failure by the notary public to discharge any duty required of a notary public, whether by this chapter, rules of the director, or any federal or state law; (f) Use of false or misleading advertising or representation by the notary public representing that the notary public has a duty, right, or privilege that the notary public does not have; (g) Violation by the notary public of a rule of the director regarding a notary public; (h) Denial, refusal to renew, revocation, suspension, or conditioning of a notary public commission in another state; (i) Failure of the notary public to maintain an assurance as provided in RCW 42.45.200 (4); or (j) Making or noting a protest of a negotiable instrument without being a person authorized by RCW 42.45.030 (5). (2) If the director denies, refuses to renew, revokes, suspends, imposes conditions, or otherwise sanctions, a commission as a notary public, the applicant or notary public is entitled to timely notice and hearing in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW. (3) The authority of the director to take disciplinary action on a commission as a notary public does not prevent a person from seeking and obtaining other criminal or civil remedies provided by law.
(1) In addition to conduct defined as unprofessional under RCW 18.235.130 , the director may take action as provided for in RCW 18.235.110 against a commission as notary public for any act or omission that demonstrates the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability to act as a notary public, including:
(a) Failure to comply with this chapter;
(b) A fraudulent, dishonest, or deceitful misstatement or omission in the application for a commission as a notary public submitted to the department;
(c) A conviction of the applicant or notary public of any felony or crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit;
(d) A finding against, or admission of liability by, the applicant or notary public in any legal proceeding or disciplinary action based on the applicant's or notary public's fraud, dishonesty, or deceit;
(e) Failure by the notary public to discharge any duty required of a notary public, whether by this chapter, rules of the director, or any federal or state law;
(f) Use of false or misleading advertising or representation by the notary public representing that the notary public has a duty, right, or privilege that the notary public does not have;
(g) Violation by the notary public of a rule of the director regarding a notary public;
(h) Denial, refusal to renew, revocation, suspension, or conditioning of a notary public commission in another state;
(i) Failure of the notary public to maintain an assurance as provided in RCW 42.45.200 (4); or
(j) Making or noting a protest of a negotiable instrument without being a person authorized by RCW 42.45.030 (5).
(2) If the director denies, refuses to renew, revokes, suspends, imposes conditions, or otherwise sanctions, a commission as a notary public, the applicant or notary public is entitled to timely notice and hearing in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW.
(3) The authority of the director to take disciplinary action on a commission as a notary public does not prevent a person from seeking and obtaining other criminal or civil remedies provided by law.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.45&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026