Exhibit 31

               Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification

I, Deborah A. Meekins, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q Northern
   Empire Bancshares;

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
   untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
   fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
   circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
   with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
   information included in this report, fairly present in all material
   respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
   flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
   this quarterly report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
   establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
   defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-1(e)) for the
   registrant and have:

   a. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
      disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
      supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
      registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
      known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
      the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

   b. designed such internal control over financial reporting, or
      caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
      designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
      regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
      preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
      accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

   c. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
      controls and procedures and presented in this report our
      conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
      and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
      report based on such evaluation; and

   d. disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
      control over financial reporting that occurred during the
      registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially
      affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
      registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed,
   based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
   financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit
   committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing
   the equivalent functions);

   a. all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
      design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting
      which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
      ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data;
    and



   b. any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
      other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
      internal controls over financial reporting.


Date:  May 9, 2005
Signature /s/ Deborah A. Meekins
         ---------------------------------------
         Deborah A. Meekins, President and Chief
         Executive Officer



Exhibit 31

           Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification

I, Jane M. Baker, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q Northern
   Empire Bancshares;

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
   untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
   fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
   circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
   with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
   information included in this report, fairly present in all material
   respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
   flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
   this quarterly report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
   establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
   defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-1(e)) for the
   registrant and have:

   a. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
      disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
      supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
      registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
      known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
      the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

   b. designed such internal control over financial reporting, or
      caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
      designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
      regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
      preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
      accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

   c. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
      controls and procedures and presented in this report our
      conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
      and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
      report based on such evaluation; and

   d. disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
      control over financial reporting that occurred during the
      registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially
      affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
      registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed,
   based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
   financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit
   committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing
   the equivalent functions);

   a. all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
      design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting
      which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
      ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data;
      and



   b. any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
      other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
      internal controls over financial reporting.




Date:  May 9, 2005
Signature /s/ Jane M. Baker
----------------------------
Jane M. Baker, Chief Financial Officer