2015 West Virginia Code
CHAPTER 39. RECORDS AND PAPERS
ARTICLE 4. REVISED UNIFORM LAW ON NOTARIAL ACTS.
§39-4-21. Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or condition commission of notary public.

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(a) The Secretary of State may deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or impose a condition on 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:

(1) Failure to comply with this article;

(2) A fraudulent, dishonest or deceitful misstatement or omission in the application for a commission as a notary public submitted to the Secretary of State;

(3) A conviction of the applicant or notary public of any felony or a crime involving fraud, dishonesty or deceit;

(4) 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;

(5) Failure by the notary public to discharge any duty required of a notary public, whether by this article, rules promulgated by the Secretary of State, or any federal or state law;

(6) Use of false or misleading advertising or representation by the notary public representing that the notary has a duty, right or privilege that the notary does not have;

(7) Violation by the notary public of a rule of the Secretary of State regarding a notary public;

(8) Denial, refusal to renew, revocation, suspension or conditioning of a notary public commission in another state;

(9) Failure of the notary public to maintain an assurance as provided in subsection (d), section twenty of this article;

(10) Charging more than the maximum fees specified in section thirty of this article; and

(11) Failure to notify the Secretary of State of an address or name change pursuant to subsection (b), section twenty-two of this article.

(b) If the Secretary of State denies, refuses to renew, revokes, suspends or imposes conditions on a commission as a notary public, the applicant or notary public is entitled to timely notice and hearing in accordance with article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.

(c) The authority of the Secretary of State to deny, refuse to renew, suspend, revoke or impose conditions on a commission as a notary public does not prevent a person from seeking and obtaining other criminal or civil remedies provided by law.