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Connecticut notary rules: the official seal and stamp
What the Connecticut Notary Public Manual says about the official seal and stamp, as 11 exam-style questions with the answer and the exact rule.
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- What action must a notary take if their seal or stamp is lost or stolen?Notify both the local police and the Office of the Secretary of the State. The handbook mandates notifying both the police and the Secretary's office to record the loss and protect the notary.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 19: “If a notary seal or stamp is lost or stolen, the notary should notify both the local police and the Office of the Secretary of the State.”
- When must a notary destroy or deface their seal or stamp?When the notary resigns their commission or allows it to expire. The handbook mandates destruction or defacement specifically upon resignation or expiration of the commission to prevent unauthorized use.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 19: “When a notary who uses a seal or stamp resigns his/her commission, or allows his/her commission to expire, he/she must destroy or deface his/her seal or stamp to prevent its unauthorized use.”
- If a notary public chooses not to use a notarial seal or stamp, how must the required information be presented on the notarial certificate?It must be typed or printed legibly near the official signature. The handbook specifies that without a seal or stamp, the required text must be typed or printed legibly near the signature.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 39: “If the notary does not utilize a notarial seal or stamp, the words “Notary Public” and “My commission expires (commission expiration date)” shall be typed or printed legibly by the notary near the notary's official signature on a notarial certificate.”
- What action must be taken regarding a notary's seal after the notary's death?The personal representative must destroy or deface the seal. The handbook mandates that the personal representative destroy or deface the seal to prevent unauthorized use.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 9: “In either event, if the notary used a notarial seal, the notary's personal representative must destroy or deface it to prevent its unauthorized use.”
- What is the rule regarding a notary's signature when performing a notarial act?The notary must sign their name exactly as it appears on their certificate of appointment and notary seal. The handbook specifies that the signature must match the name on the official certificate and seal exactly, not necessarily other ID documents.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 19: “It is important for the notary to remember that he/ she must sign his/her name exactly as it appears on his/her certificate of appointment and notary seal.”
- How should a notary position the impression of their seal relative to their signature?Near, but not over, the notary's signature. The instructions clearly direct that the seal impression be placed near the signature but not over it.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 19: “When using the seal, the impression should be affixed near, but not over, the notary's signature.”
- What specific elements must be included in the format of a Connecticut notary seal?The notary's name, the words 'Notary Public', and 'Connecticut'. The handbook lists exactly three required elements for the seal format: the name, 'Notary Public', and 'Connecticut'.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 19: “The notary seal must include the notary's name as it appears on their certificate of appointment, the words "Notary Public" and "Connecticut" as shown in Fig. 1.”
- Regarding the notary seal in Connecticut, what option does state law provide concerning the commission expiration date?The expiration date is optional on the seal itself. The handbook states that including the commission expiration date on the seal itself is optional, allowing notaries to choose whether to include it.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 19: “State law does give the notary the option of having the words "My Commission Expires (commission expiration date)" appear on the seal.”
- What is the required action for the remotely located individual after signing the record during a remote notarization?Mail or otherwise cause to be delivered the signed original copy of the record to the notary public. The statute mandates that the physical original signed copy be delivered to the notary for final certification and sealing.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 42: “Once the record notarized pursuant to subsection (b) of this section is signed by the individual in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section, the individual shall mail or otherwise cause to be delivered the signed original copy of the record to the notary public for certification and execution with the notary's commission signature and official stamp or seal.”
- What action is a notary required to take regarding their official notarial seal upon the resignation, revocation, lapse, or expiration of their appointment?Immediately destroy the seal. The statute mandates immediate destruction of the seal upon the end of the appointment, rather than surrendering or storing it.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 39: “A notary shall immediately destroy the notary's notarial seal upon resigning as a notary or upon the revocation, lapse or expiration of such person's appointment as a notary.”
- Who is responsible for destroying the official notarial seal after the death of a notary public?The notary's personal representative. The statute assigns the duty of destroying the seal and notifying the Secretary to the deceased notary's personal representative.Connecticut Notary Public Manual, page 40: “As soon as possible after the death of a notary public, the notary's personal representative shall destroy the notary's official notarial seal, if any, and file a signed, written notice, with the Secretary of the State, indicating that the notary public has died and the date of death.”