Posted by dutchcloser on 5/5/11 12:44pm
Msg #382228

Rejected CEMA

I was just contacted regarding a closing that I did last month stating the CEMA doc's are rejected because the font on my notary stamp is too small. This is the first time I have heard of this. I thought all stamps are made in a standard size. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 5/5/11 12:58pm
Msg #382230

Any company that does notary stamps knows the regulation for size. That's bunk! I've never heard of this either.

Reply by DD/OR on 5/5/11 1:26pm
Msg #382233

That's just an excuse not to pay you.

Reply by Jason Brown on 5/5/11 2:45pm
Msg #382251

Per page 7 of the California 2010 Notary Handbook:
(Government code section 8207)

The seal must:
Be photographically reproducible when affixed to a document;
Contain the State Seal and the words "Notary Public"'
Contain the name of the notary public as shown on the commission;
Contain the name of the county there the oath of office and notary public bond are on file;
Contain the expiration date of the notary public's commission;
Contain the sequential identification number (commission number) assigned to the notary b
public, as well as the identification number assigned to the seal manufacturer or vendor;
and
Be circular not over two inches in diameter, or be a rectangular form of not more than one
inch in width by two and one-half inches in length, with a serrated or milled edged border.

The font size of the type in the seal isn't specified therein, however, as the seal must be manufactured by an authorized and identifiable manufacturer.... Here's a link to CA manufacturer requirements 3page pdf.
http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/forms/notary-seal-mfr-guidelines.pdf

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/5/11 2:47pm
Msg #382252

Jason, he's in New York. n/m

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/5/11 2:40pm
Msg #382248

I don't know how accurate this is, but according to

Wikipedia (yes, I know the source of the info but I've found accurate stuff there) - anyway:

According to Wiki, New York doesn't even REQUIRE a seal as long as certain information is stamped or printed under the signature....is this true? If so, they have no gripe...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notary_public_(New_York)

If it *is* required, did you get your seal with your commission or are you using a custom made seal??

Reply by MikeC/NY on 5/5/11 3:29pm
Msg #382261

Re: I don't know how accurate this is, but according to

"According to Wiki, New York doesn't even REQUIRE a seal as long as certain information is stamped or printed under the signature....is this true? If so, they have no gripe..."

This is true - we are only required to stamp or hand-print our commission info. Some people the terms "stamp" and "seal" interchangeably, but there is no notary seal in NY.

There are no formal specifications on how the commission info should look, other than what info appears on each of the lines and that it all has to be in black ink. This is why most choose a stamp rather than to hand-write it - you get one line wrong or out of order, and the notarization can be rejected.

The issue here, however, may be requirements of the particular county clerk regarding type size on recorded documents. You really have to be aware of the local requirements.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 5/5/11 3:18pm
Msg #382258

What county? Some of the county clerks have their own regulations regarding sizes.

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 5/5/11 8:52pm
Msg #382322

I recentely had a closing at a RE office. The agent was a notary and was very happy to show me her new "required stamp" Say what? The seal was the correct size for Ohio but the wording was huge! 10 p. She had a hyphened last name so this thing was very long. She said it was a new requirement for her county? I do a lot of closing for this county. Also she stated that the ink had to be blue! She told me she can barely fit it on a car title. (Never mind that it covers up most of the info on a title). Ugh!

I know Ohio counties are not all the same..(We are working on this). So I called the Notary Commissioner in her county. He has not issued or heard of such a thing! He did take her name I do hope he does call her!

OMG do we need uniform notary training and laws in Ohio!

Reply by Robert Williams on 12/22/11 6:46pm
Msg #407377

Not sure what county this was in but in Ohio the Secretary of State and state law control a notary, not the county clerk or any other county official... all they are supposed to be doing is filing the certificate of appointment issued by the SOS.

Reply by parkerc/ME on 5/6/11 8:08am
Msg #382336

Stamp or seal?

Are you talking about a stamp for under the signature line with your name, title, state, and commission expiration date? Most of us thought you were talking about your notary "seal", but it seems NY doesn't require a "seal" (Maine doesn't either)? Playing devil's advocate here, but if you're just talking about your signature line stamp, perhaps it's not big enough to read or reproduce? There is temptation to get a REALLY small stamp showing your signature line information to fit in those small spaces under notary statements, but in thoses cases it's probably best to just attach your own separate page ack/jurat than use an unreadable stamp.