Notary Seal and Certificate Requirements Flashcards

A West Virginia notary gets married and legally changes her name. What must she do regarding her stamp and commission?

Answer: Notify the Secretary of State of the name change and obtain a stamp reflecting the commissioned name

Name changes must be reported to the Secretary of State, and the stamp must match the name under which the notary is commissioned.

For an electronic notarization in West Virginia, how is the official stamp requirement satisfied?

Answer: The electronic record must contain or have attached the required stamp information in electronic form

For electronic notarial acts, the stamp information must be attached to or logically associated with the electronic certificate.

A West Virginia notary notarizes a deed but forgets to affix her official stamp. What is the likely consequence?

Answer: The county clerk may reject the deed for recording because the stamp is missing

Recording offices typically reject documents lacking the required official stamp, so the notarization must be properly completed.

A coworker who is not a notary offers to stamp and sign certificates when the notary is at lunch, 'since customers are waiting.' Allowing this would be:

Answer: Misconduct that could lead to criminal liability and loss of the commission

Only the commissioned notary may perform notarial acts and use the stamp; letting others use it is a serious violation.

A certificate form has blank spaces for the signer's name and the date. Before signing and stamping, the West Virginia notary should:

Answer: Fill in every blank completely, since certificates must never be signed with blanks remaining

A notary must never execute a certificate containing blanks, as incomplete certificates invite fraud.

How long is a West Virginia notary public commission valid, which determines the expiration date shown with the stamp?

Answer: Five years

West Virginia notary commissions are issued for a five-year term, and the expiration date must be shown on the stamp.

A lender asks a notary to sign and stamp a certificate for a borrower who signed the document at home yesterday and never appeared before the notary. The notary should:

Answer: Refuse, because completing a certificate without the signer's personal appearance is false certification

Executing a certificate for an act that never occurred before the notary is a false certificate and grounds for revocation and penalties.