Seal and Embosser

PART 1

Section 6

Your Notary Seal and Embosser

In order to perform notarial acts, you must obtain and use a seal. When you receive your commission you will also receive a Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notary Seal. This certificate must be presented to a state approved vendor allowing them to make your seal and you will be provided with a list of those vendors when you receive your commission.

The seal is yours and yours alone. You must never allow anyone else to use it or take possession of it for any reason.

Your seal is only for the purpose of rendering notarial service, and you may not use it for any other purpose.

Misusing your seal can result in your commission being suspended or revoked, as well as civil penalties.

In California, the notary seal must:

· be an inked seal so that it may be photocopied;

·                    have serrated or milled edge border;
·                    clearly contain the State Seal and the words Notary Public;
·                    contain the Notary’s name, the commission number, expiration date, and county where the oath

           and bond are filed; and
·                    contain the identification number of the manufacturer or vendor.

            Government Code § 8207

You may use an embosser, but it can only be used in addition to the inked seal. If you are frequently called upon to notarize documents that are going out of the country, it may be wise to purchase an embosser in addition to your seal. To some people, a document with a raised seal impression seems more authentic.

It is crucial that your seal impressions be legible and the placement of the seal on your notarial certificate must not be over any signatures or printed matter. An incomplete, smudged or improperly placed seal impression may cause a document to be rejected by a county recorder and cause a great deal of inconvenience, and possibly financial loss for the parties involved. That financial loss could be passed on to you.

To perform a notarial act involving a subdivision map, since these maps are commonly drawn on a type of material that will not take standard stamp ink, the subdivision map notarial certificate can be notarized without the official seal. However, you must type or write your name, the county of your principal place of business, and your commission number and expiration date below or immediately adjacent to your signature on the acknowledgment. Government Code §66436(c)

When your commission expires or you resign your commission, your seal must be destroyed or defaced. This is to avoid any possible misuse. Government Code § 8207

If your seal is ever lost, stolen, broken, destroyed, or otherwise unusable, you must notify the Secretary of State’s office in writing immediately. Upon request, the Secretary of State’s office will issue you a new Certificate of Authorization to obtain a new seal. Government Code § 8207.3(e)

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