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:  August 08, 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:  August 08, 2005
Signature /s/ Jane M. Baker
          --------------------------------------
          Jane M. Baker, Chief Financial Officer