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Name Change (57 P.S. § 156)
In the event that a notary public's name changes during the commission term, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and Recorder of Deeds (of the county where the notary public's business address is located) should be notified of the change within 30 days. The notary can continue to use the name under which he or she was commissioned or can use the new name after notifying the proper authorities. Applications for reappointment must be made in the new name.
Before using the new name on notarial work, the notary public is required to notify the recorder of deeds that the new name will be used, register the new signature with the prothonotary, purchase a new rubber stamp seal and inform the Department of State of the decision to utilize the new name. A letter detailing the name change, and where appropriate, accompanied by a court order, is sufficient for purposes of notifying the Department of State. We have forms for your use below.
OnScreen Fillable Name Change Form