Notary Public Notary Seal, Stamp & Certificate Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following pieces of information is typically required to appear on a notary's official seal or stamp?
- The notary's home address
- The notary's commission expiration date (Correct answer)
- The notary's Social Security number
- The notary's telephone number
Correct answer: The notary's commission expiration date
A notary's official seal must typically include their commission expiration date, along with their name, state, and commission number, so parties can verify the commission was active at the time of notarization.
Question 2: Who legally owns a notary's official seal or stamp?
- The employer who purchased the seal
- The state notary-licensing authority
- The notary public personally (Correct answer)
- The county clerk's office
Correct answer: The notary public personally
The official seal belongs to the notary personally, not to their employer, because it represents the notary's individual commission granted by the state.
Question 3: What should a notary do with their official seal when their commission expires or they resign?
- Transfer it to a coworker who is also a notary
- Store it indefinitely as a keepsake
- Destroy or deface it so it cannot be used again (Correct answer)
- Return it to the employer for reuse
Correct answer: Destroy or deface it so it cannot be used again
When a notary's commission ends, the seal must be destroyed or defaced to prevent unauthorized use of an expired commission.
Question 4: Under what circumstance may a notary affix their official seal to a document?
- Whenever a client requests it in advance, even before the notarization
- Only after completing all required notarial steps, including verifying identity (Correct answer)
- When asked by a supervisor, even without the signer present
- At any time, as long as the document will be signed later
Correct answer: Only after completing all required notarial steps, including verifying identity
A notary may only affix their seal after completing all required notarial acts, including verifying the signer's identity and witnessing or acknowledging the signature.
Question 5: Which seal shape is most commonly authorized or required by state law for notaries public in the United States?
- Triangular
- Oval
- Round or rectangular (Correct answer)
- Hexagonal
Correct answer: Round or rectangular
Most states authorize either a round or rectangular seal, though specific requirements vary by state law.
Question 6: What is the primary legal purpose of a notary's official seal on a document?
- To increase the monetary value of the document
- To authenticate that the notarization was performed by a duly commissioned notary (Correct answer)
- To replace the notary's signature when the notary is unavailable
- To certify the content of the document is accurate
Correct answer: To authenticate that the notarization was performed by a duly commissioned notary
The notary seal authenticates that the notarial act was performed by a duly commissioned notary public, lending official credibility to the document.
Question 7: A notary's employer demands that the notary leave their seal at the office when they go on vacation. What should the notary do?
- Leave the seal as instructed, since the employer paid for it
- Leave the seal but lock it in a personal desk drawer
- Refuse, because the notary is solely responsible for securing their seal (Correct answer)
- Give the seal to a trusted coworker to hold
Correct answer: Refuse, because the notary is solely responsible for securing their seal
Because the seal is the notary's personal official instrument and they are personally responsible for its safekeeping, the notary must retain control of it and never allow others access to it.
Notary Public Notary Seal, Stamp & Certificate Requirements 1
Which of the following pieces of information is typically required to appear on a notary's official seal or stamp?