VA Notary Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information is required to appear on a Virginia notary's official seal or stamp?
- Notary's home address and phone number
- Notary's name, the words 'Notary Public', 'Commonwealth of Virginia', and commission expiration date (Correct answer)
- Notary's Social Security number and employer name
- Notary's date of birth and bond number
Correct answer: Notary's name, the words 'Notary Public', 'Commonwealth of Virginia', and commission expiration date
Virginia law requires the seal to show the notary's name, 'Notary Public', 'Commonwealth of Virginia', and the commission expiration date.
Question 2: A Virginia notary's official seal impression must be:
- Red ink only
- Legible and reproducible (photographically reproducible) (Correct answer)
- Embossed only
- At least 2 inches in diameter
Correct answer: Legible and reproducible (photographically reproducible)
The seal must be photographically reproducible — meaning it must produce a clear, legible imprint on copies.
Question 3: What should a Virginia notary do if their seal is lost or stolen?
- Order a replacement and continue notarizing
- Immediately stop notarizing, report to law enforcement, and obtain a replacement seal (Correct answer)
- Notify only their employer
- File a report with the DMV
Correct answer: Immediately stop notarizing, report to law enforcement, and obtain a replacement seal
A lost or stolen seal should be reported to law enforcement immediately, and the notary should obtain a replacement before performing further acts.
Question 4: A Virginia notary seal is the personal property of:
- The notary's employer
- The notary themselves (Correct answer)
- The Secretary of the Commonwealth
- The circuit court clerk
Correct answer: The notary themselves
The notary seal belongs personally to the notary, not to their employer.
Question 5: When a Virginia notary's commission expires, what must they do with their seal?
- Return it to the Secretary of the Commonwealth
- Destroy it so it cannot be misused (Correct answer)
- Keep it as a souvenir without restrictions
- Transfer it to a new notary
Correct answer: Destroy it so it cannot be misused
Upon expiration or termination of a commission, the notary should destroy the seal to prevent misuse.
Question 6: Under Virginia law, an employer who holds a notary's seal after the notary leaves employment must:
- Reassign it to another employee
- Return it to the notary or destroy it (Correct answer)
- File it with the Secretary of the Commonwealth
- Keep it for the notary's replacement
Correct answer: Return it to the notary or destroy it
The employer must return the seal to the notary or destroy it; retaining it for use by others is prohibited.
VA Notary Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements 1
What information is required to appear on a Virginia notary's official seal or stamp?