What to expect

We believe in being upfront about what we can and can't do. Here's what you can expect before, during, and after resigning.

What we do

Prepare your resignation documents

Legally sound, properly formatted, reviewed by a licensed attorney.

Submit them on your behalf

We send everything to the church's law firm (Kirton McConkie) so you don't have to.

Handle communication

All correspondence goes through our office. The church shouldn't contact you directly.

What we can't do

We can't access the church's internal membership database.

When we tell you your resignation has been confirmed, we're reporting what the church told us, but we have no way to independently verify that they actually updated their records.

In some cases, the church has confirmed a resignation to us but not followed through on their end. This is frustrating, and we wish we had more control over it. We don't.

General timeline

Your resignation, step by step

Here's what happens from the moment you submit to final confirmation.

01

Resignation submitted

Upload your notarized resignation letter. You can cancel anytime before we send it.

Minutes
02

Resignation sent

We review your documents and forward them to the church’s law firm (Kirton McConkie).

Days—weeks
03

Legally effective

Your resignation is legally effective 5 days after your notarized letter reaches church headquarters.

5 days*
04

Church records updated

The church processes your resignation internally.

~4—8 weeks
05

Resignation confirmed

When the church confirms your resignation to us, we update your status.

Varies

Time variations: We're a small, volunteer-run organization, and the church processes resignations at their own pace. Volume fluctuates, and sometimes there are backlogs on both sides.

* What “legally effective” means: Your resignation is legally effective 5 days after your notarized letter reaches church headquarters. Just to be clear, “legally effective” and “the church has updated their internal database” are two different things.

Notarization

In 2018, the church began requiring notarized resignation letters. This is a policy they implemented after claiming some resignations were fraudulent.

We know it adds a step, but it's now required for the church to process your resignation. It takes about 5 minutes and is the only part of the process that may cost anything.

Where to find a notary

In the US, most banks, UPS stores, libraries, and law offices offer notary services for free or under $15. Outside the US, costs vary by country but are generally inexpensive. If you're outside the US and unsure where to go, reach out and we'll help you find options.

Confirming your resignation

When we mark your resignation as “confirmed,” it means the church communicated to us that they processed your request. In most cases, this is accurate. But because we can't see inside their systems, we recommend verifying independently if you want to be certain.

  • 1
    Try logging in. Go to churchofjesuschrist.org and attempt to sign in with your old credentials. If your account no longer exists, that's a good sign.
  • 2
    Contact the church directly. Email dataprivacyofficer@churchofjesuschrist.org and ask them to confirm your membership status. Include your full name, birth date, and membership number (if you have it).
  • 3
    Check with your local ward. If you're comfortable, ask a trusted contact who has access to ward tools (like a clerk) whether your record still appears.

If your records weren't removed

We're sorry if this happens to you. It shouldn't, and we understand how frustrating it is to feel like you can't fully close this chapter.

If you discover your records are still active after we confirmed your resignation, here's what to do:

  • 1
    Email the church directly. Contact cservices@churchofjesuschrist.org or dataprivacyofficer@churchofjesuschrist.org. Attach your resignation documents and request immediate removal.
  • 2
    Go through local leadership. Contact your bishop directly and request removal. This sometimes moves faster than headquarters.
  • 3
    Let us know. If you can reach us, we want to know when this happens. It helps us follow up with the church and improve our process.

Response times

We're a volunteer-run non-profit. As a small team, we do our best, but we can't always respond as quickly as we'd like. We promise we're not ignoring you, just trying to help as many people as we can!

1–2 weeks

Typical response time for support tickets.

3+ weeks

During busy periods, it may take longer. If you haven't heard back, please follow up.

Our promise (and limits)

We'll do everything we can to help you resign. But ultimately, the church controls their own records. We can send the paperwork, follow up, and report what they tell us — but we can't make them act, and we can't see behind their walls.

What we can promise: we'll be honest with you, we'll handle your information with care, and we'll never charge you a dime.