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 of 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:  November 7, 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 of 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: November 7, 2005      Signature /s/ Jane M. Baker
      ------------------             --------------------------
                                     Jane M. Baker,
                                     Chief Financial Officer