Section 17-2400. APPOINTMENT OF NOTARIES

 

2400.1New appointments of notaries public shall be made to serve the needs and convenience of members of the public, the bar, financial institutions, and other fiduciary bodies.

 

2400.2The District of Columbia Office of the Secretary, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications Section, may appoint citizens of the United States who are residents of the District of Columbia or whose sole place of business or employment is located in the District.

 

2400.3Any person requesting an appointment as a notary public in the District of Columbia shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

 

2400.4Each person requesting an appointment as a notary public shall indicate to the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) the hours during which he or she will be available at a designated place of business in the District or if a residential notary the hours he or she will be available in the residence.

 

2400.5Requests for an appointment as a notary public by a privately employed or self-employed person shall be made by the employer or an official of the company or business in which the applicant is employed. The employer’s letterhead must have a District of Columbia physical address and phone number.

 

2400.6Request for an appointment as a notary public by a government employee shall be made by the employer or an official of the government office in which the applicant is employed.

 

2400.7An individual requesting a residential appointment as a notary public must submit the request in writing on his or her official letterhead. The letterhead must have a District of Columbia address and phone number.

 

2400.8Applications for dual commissions (business and residential), shall include a both a letter from the employer and a letter from the individual.

 

2400.9A letter requesting an appointment of a notary public shall include:  

 

(a) For business notaries, the reasons the business or government needs the individual to serve as a notary and how that will improve the service to the customers, public and others; and

 

(b) For residential notaries, the individual should state how they intend to use their commission to serve the public, their community and others. 

 

2400.10Letters requesting appointment shall be sent to the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications, 441 4th Street N.W., Suite 810 South, Washington D.C. 20001.

 

 

authority

Section 558 of An Act to establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1189, ch. 854, § 558; D.C. Official Code §§ 1-1201 et seq. (2012 Repl.)), as amended by An Act to authorize the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to appoint notaries public, approved December 16, 1944 (58 Stat. 810, ch. 597, § 1); Regulation No. 73-13, approved May 24, 1973 (19 DCR 1147 (June 11, 1973)); the Notaries Public Fees Increase Act of 1983, effective June 22, 1983 (D.C. Law 5-14; 30 DCR 2632 (June 3, 1983)); the Notaries Public Fee Act of 1983, effective March 8, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-52; 30 DCR 5931 (November 18, 1983)); the Notaries Public Authentications and License Fee Amendment Act of 2010, effective September 24, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-223; 57 DCR 6242 (July 23, 2010)); Section 3(k) of Mayor’s Order 97-177, dated October 9, 1997; and Mayor’s Order 2016-031, dated March 1, 2016.

source

§§ 1.1(a), 1.1(b), 1.1(c), 1.1(d), 1.1(f) of Regulation No. 73-13, approved May 24, 1973, published at 19 DCR 1147 (June 11, 1973); as published in 25 DCRR § 1.1; as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 9099 (July 1, 2016).