The Notary's Function
Acting as an official unbiased witness
"A Virginia notary acts as an official, unbiased witness to the identity and signature of the person who comes before the notary for a specific purpose. The person may be taking an oath, giving oral or written testimony, or signing or acknowledging his or her signature on a legal document." Refer to 2008 Virginia Notary Handbook, page 3
In many cases notaries neglect to identify the person standing before them. We often hear that a notary was in a hurry to leave his office or was too busy to take the time required for a proper identification. Several notaries also admit to taking someone's "okay" that a person is who he/she says he/she is. This circumstance is common with employee notaries.
Keep in mind that a "key function of a notary is to be certain that the person appearing before the notary is who that person claims to be."
We live in a suit happy society so protect yourself from being sued by performing notarial acts in accordance with Virginia Notary Law. If you haven't notarized documents in a long time or you are a new notary, we recommend that you take our Notary Law & Procedures class.
"Taking a Class is Your Pass to a Legal Notarization."
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| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) |
Am I required to use a notary seal?
Yes! Prior to July 1, 2008 Virginia notaries could choose not to use an official notary seal. For those who chose to use one, the seal had to be "sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible".
Effective July 1, 2008 ALL Virginia notaries must use an official seal as described above. A photographically reproducible seal can be as simple as an embossed raised seal that has been rubbed with a pencil; embossed over carbon paper or darkened with a seal impression inker or seal press (round ink stamp that is blank). Self-inking or pre-inked stamp seals are the favorite choice among notaries.
I recently moved from Wise County to Hanover County. Should I change my address with the Notary Division in Richmond?
Absolutely! Notaries should send a written notice of address to:
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Notary Division
P.O. Box 1795
Please include your full Notary Certificate Name, Registration No. and Commission Expiration Date.
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| We offer On-site training for your Company's Employee Notaries. Find out more |
| Notary Spotlight
Cathie Crider - Mobile Notary & Signing Agent
Cathie Crider has been a mobile notary public in Richmond, VA since 2003. She loves the flexibility of setting her own schedule, meeting new people and developing new friendships in the process.  Cathie offers bilingual mortgage loan closing services in Spanish.
Cathie is also involved in sharing the education of Juice Plus, a whole food supplement, through wellness presentations and gatherings. For information about the healthful benefits of taking Juice Plus, email Cathie: cathiecrider@comcast.net.
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| Reminder from the Notary Division:
Refer to THE NOTARY'S FUNCTION in the VA Notary Handbook link below. It is extremely important that notaries are certain that the person appearing before the notary is who that person claims to be.
Virginia law defines certain "notarial acts" which a notary is empowered to perform. Notaries must be constantly aware that every notarial act affects the legal rights of others. Carelessness or negligence by the notary may injure these rights.
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