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 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 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)) 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 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
   the 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 control 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:  May 9, 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 of 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 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)) 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 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
   the 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 control 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:  May 9, 2006
Signature
/s/ Larry V. Sorensen
---------------------
Larry V. Sorensen,
Chief Financial Officer