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 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 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
   report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible
   for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
   (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal
   control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
   13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) 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 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 (the registrant's fourth
     fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) 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 officer(s) 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 information; and

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


Date:  August 8, 2006

Signature /s/ Deborah A. Meekins
--------------------------------
Deborah A. Meekins, President and Chief Executive Officer



Exhibit 31

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

I, Larry V. Sorensen, certify that:


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

2. Based on my knowledge, this 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 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
   report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible
   for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
   (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal
   control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
   13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) 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 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 (the registrant's fourth
     fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) 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 officer(s) 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 information; and

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


Date:  August 8, 2006

Signature /s/ Larry V. Sorensen
Larry V. Sorensen, Chief Financial Officer