Posted by LazyV on 11/17/11 5:53pm
Msg #404334

California - round notary seal is OK

I am on my 9th notary commission. This is the first time I have ordered a round stamp.
This stamp is the best!!! I have had comments that it looks more professional than the
rectangular shape. California notaries - think about it!!!

Reply by rengel/CA on 11/17/11 6:13pm
Msg #404336

People think they look more "official"

I love my round seal!!!

My .02

Reply by SheilaSJCA on 11/17/11 6:17pm
Msg #404337

Re: People think they look more "official"

I am sure it looks nice, but often times it's hard enough to "fit" a rectangle stamp in the space allowed, I can only imagine how hard it would be to fit in a circle!

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 11/17/11 6:24pm
Msg #404339

Re: People think they look more "official"

I've found there are many times when the circle seal fits perfectly in places where the rectangle won't because of the width of space allowed.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 11/17/11 6:23pm
Msg #404338

I have both... I find they are both essential for fitting in to various spaces where the other wouldn't work. My round seal is purple ink, too, and people love it. They really do think it feels more official and traditional. I prefer to use the round one.

Funny story, though... about 6 months ago, I got a call from a person who I had notarized for and she said the bank rejected her power of attorney because the notary seal was "Fake" -- and she was angry that I had stolen money from her... ans she was going to report me to the police for fraud.

She said that the bank showed her 5 different notary seals "from California" of people that worked at the bank and they were all black and rectangle. She said she then went to a UPS store and they re-notarized her signature with the black rectangle. The bank accepted it.

I assured her that my seal was perfectly legit and even sent her the handbook to look it up, where it says that we can have a round seal. I also gave her the SOS's number so she could call and verify my commission herself.

4 hours later she called an apologized left and right. LOL!! I guess the SOS set her straight, as did an attorney who ALSO called to verify me and that a round seal was okay.

The problem was that the morons at the bank thought that the round purple seal wasn't "real" because it didn't look like all of the other ones they've seen.

Reply by LKT/CA on 11/17/11 7:31pm
Msg #404342

Did anyone set the bank straight? LOL

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 11/17/11 7:33pm
Msg #404343

I love purple! n/m

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 11/17/11 7:50pm
Msg #404346

I wish Fla. notaries could use blue or other color ink for

our seals - the law requires it to be in black ink, but we do have freedom as far as size and shape. I do have a round stamp but have not used it very much - mostly because I always use a round embosser, and it looks silly to have the round embosser AND the round stamp.

Reply by Paul Kevil on 11/17/11 10:33pm
Msg #404366

Re: I wish Fla. notaries could use blue or other color ink for

In New Mexico, only rectangular stamps and black pads are allowed. Round embossers are used by title companies and county officials.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 11/17/11 8:43pm
Msg #404350

Congratulations ....

... on your 9th term!! According to my calculations, the legendary March Fong was secretary of state when you got your first commission (you just missed Jerry Brown). So, you've seen it all during that time: introduction of required classes, changes (and more changes) in mandated ack and jurat verbiage, end of "personally known," etc. Did CA have required tests when u first started?

Thanks for posting and yes, I'm going to get the round stamp for my new commission starting in January- and ink it up all purple, too. Yeah!

Reply by BrendaTx on 11/17/11 8:47pm
Msg #404352

LOVE ROUND STAMPS! n/m

Reply by Eva75Eva on 11/17/11 9:31pm
Msg #404360

Love my round stamp. It's cute as a button! n/m

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 11/17/11 11:47pm
Msg #404370

Marian: Inquiring minds want to know ...

I'm like the bankers, Marian, I've never seen a round seal - except as an example in our handbook! I do intend to finally get one, tho. The thing that surprises me is that you've never been challenged about using purple ink. Is that right? It seems to me that the first time I switched to purple ink, I'd have TCs howling they'd only seen black ink and that the county recorder won't accept it and blah blah ... ? And why did you pick purple? Why not dark green or dark blue? Other than the fact that purple is cool - and the official color of royalty and nobility!

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 11/18/11 1:01am
Msg #404373

I think a round seal is a poor choice.

Probably 98% of CA notaries use the rectangle seal.
I think the round seal is a problem because you will eventually get questioned about it.

You might not be hired again because the client fears that it is not legal and thinks that "Well, I got away it this time and won't use that notary again or the receiving agency decides that it is not legal."

Either issue is something a CA notary, in my opinion, doesn't need to deal with.

Sure, a round seal is legal for CA notaries, but, it is just like using red, blue, green as an ink color, is a poor choice because 98% of CA notaries use black.

Maybe Harry, from notrot would
like to comment on my, statement that CA notary seals are 98% rectangle and black ink?

Reply by Les_CO on 11/18/11 7:42am
Msg #404387

Re: I think a round seal is a poor choice.

Although I'm not in CA. I use a round dark/blue ink (Xstamper P16 self inking) seal/stamp. (I also carry a black ink small rectangular stamp for use when necessary) I have done so since the 70’s. I have NEVER had anyone question my seal. Although I have had to testify in court as to the identity of the signer.

Reply by rengel/CA on 11/18/11 11:17am
Msg #404417

I have NEVER been questioned about my

round seal.

I respectfully disagree with you Joan. I will not bow down to ill-informed title companies. I see it as an opportunity to educate them.

I was once called to redo my signature on an affidavit. They didn't like the fact that my commission was in 3 names ie. Jane Doe Jones but my signature was J. Jones. They said that the recorder wouldn't accept it. I educated them to the fact that my signature HAS to conform with my signature on my application with the California Secretary of State, not with the name on my commission. AND, that it would not be a legal signature on the affidavit if I signed all three names. If they had a problem with it, they needed to discuss it with the Secretary of State, as they accepted my signature as it was.
They accepted the affidavit as is.

My .02

Reply by BrendaTx on 11/18/11 6:34am
Msg #404377

List of all Seal Requirements / all states

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notary-seal-list.shtml

Reply by Jessica Ward on 11/18/11 11:19am
Msg #404418

Overseas loves the round seal

I do a lot of adoption documents, and overseas, especially in Africa, they love the round seals on documents. Ethiopia especially likes purple, but I'll stick with black and blue.

That said, I stopped using a round seal, but for a more practical reason--It just didn't fit well in my bag. No matter what, it seemed like the lid was always popping off. So when I re-ordered, I got the rectangular seal, which fits better, and doesn't move around so much in my bag.

I've never had anyone complain about my seal, round or rectangular.