Posted by Loan Signing/Notary A Notable Work on 9/8/05 5:20pm
Msg #64260

Notary embosser

I just purchased an embosser that doesn't make a clear imprint through two documents...when I called to inquire about it, the company said that California doesn't require a clear embossment and it wouldn't matter if the 2nd embossment was illegible as long as it "matched up" with the first page...does that sound right?
PaulineY CA

Reply by DMARTZ_IN on 9/8/05 5:33pm
Msg #64262

We have always embossed each page separately when we do multiple pages with an embosser.

Reply by Barry Silver on 9/8/05 6:09pm
Msg #64267

No, it does not sound right. It sounds like an excuse for not sending you a product that works properly because of the extra expense on their part. I would demand an embosser that will perform or a refund.

Reply by Kelly M Robertson on 9/9/05 7:41am
Msg #64311

I am one of the few California notaries public who use an embosser - used when I have to atch a loose certificate. I just took a look at mine, and it embosses clearly. For me, the embosser is just used as a measure to protect your loose certificates and the intent is to make sure there's no separation of the multiple does (signature page and notarial certificate) so in one way, I guess it doesn't matter if it's clear or not since it's not required. However, Barry is correct -- you should get what you pay for.

Reply by PaulineY_CA on 9/9/05 11:03am
Msg #64336

This is precisely why I ordered an embosser...only for the instances of attaching a loose certificate. I was told that you emboss the loose with the document that you are certifying so that they can match up for protection purposes...so that would mean, to me, that the embosser is strong enough to emboss through two sheets at once. I argued with the company for some time and they insisted that embossers are not designed to go through two documents at once. I finally gave up...maybe I'll try back today and get a new operator or speak to a supervisor.
Thanks for the info.

Reply by Art_MD on 9/9/05 11:09am
Msg #64337

Re: legal ? re: embosser

You mentioned using it to emboss 2 docs, one being the certificate. Can you legally put your seal on a doc when you don't have any notorial wording, which is what you are doing to the non-certificate page?

Art

Reply by PaulineY_CA on 9/9/05 3:01pm
Msg #64417

Re: legal ? re: embosser

It is my understanding that in CA...an embossment is not legally acceptable for notarized documents due to their lack of photographic reproduction...it is only a security measure to prevent loose certificates from being misused. A doc with only an embossed seal wouldn't be legally binding...correct me if I'm wrong.

Reply by Marlene_USNA on 9/9/05 12:13pm
Msg #64361

If you bought an embosser from us, the United States Notary Association, please call right away (800-587-2588) if it is not working to your satisfaction. We guarantee embossing seals for life (yours).

Regarding the "matching up" procedure someone told you about: some notaries put the loose certificate on top and about one inch from the side of the document being notarized. Then they place the embossing seal on the overlap, so that half the seal is on the loose certificate and half on the document. Then the loose certificate can be "matched up" with the document by matching the embossed seal halves.

If you have several documents, you can fan them and squeeze a seal so that some of the seal is on each of them.

It's an added measure of protection against fraudulent use of a loose certificate or against sliding another document into the packet.