Posted by CopperheadVA on 11/2/11 11:37am
Msg #402501

Using expired seal and hand-correcting to current date?

I have recently seen two different docs with notary seals from two different notaries who are using their expired VA notary seal and hand-correcting the year to the new ending year of their current commission.

In VA, the commission expiration date is always the last day of the notary's birth month, so on renewals only the year will change with the new commission. Also, the notary registration number remains the same. But I just don't think it's kosher to hand-correct the year from an expired year to the new commission ending year on a notary seal.

What does everyone else think?

Reply by HisHughness on 11/2/11 11:41am
Msg #402503

That would be unlawful in Texas, much like whiting out the expiration date on the license plate sticker on your windshield and inserting another date.

Reply by Jillian Hinrichs on 11/2/11 12:45pm
Msg #402518

Should be ok per VA Notary Handbook

The handbook doesn't mention that the seal has to include the expiration date, it just says that the expiration date must be included near the notary's signature, so as long as they correct the date it should be ok. I would line thru the incorrect date, put in the correct date, initial it and then hope I get a new stamp in the mail before I have to do this again!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 11/2/11 1:02pm
Msg #402526

Re: Should be ok per VA Notary Handbook

I had not looked at the handbook to check because I did not recollect that it was addressed in there, but your post prompted me to. Page 5 of the July 2011 handbook states:

A Virginia notary’s seal/stamp must contain the name of the notary exactly as it appears on the notary’s commission, the words “Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Virginia.” Any
information included on the notary’s seal/stamp must be accurate. The notary cannot
strikethrough or whiteout an area to make a change.


I did not realize it when I asked the question, but the handbook specifically prohibits this action by these two notaries. Wow. To me, it just seems like common sense to order a new stamp with the new commission expiration date - it would not even have occurred to me to hand-correct it. One notary did not even initial her change.

Reply by MW/VA on 11/2/11 2:33pm
Msg #402557

No. Not legal in VA. A new commission requires a

new stamp, and they aren't all that expensive!

Reply by Dennis_IN on 11/2/11 11:47am
Msg #402506

Would not fly in Indiana n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 11/2/11 12:56pm
Msg #402523

Not in Oregon. Expired stamp = illegal stamp. n/m

Reply by Sandra Clark on 11/3/11 11:47am
Msg #402665

To me it would be a no-no aside from that it makes the notary look totally unprofessional. New stamps are not that expensive and can easily be obtained from NOTROT.