DE Notary Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following items is required to appear on a Delaware notary public's official seal?
- The notary's commission expiration date
- The notary's name and 'State of Delaware' (Correct answer)
- The notary's home address
- The notary's bond amount
Correct answer: The notary's name and 'State of Delaware'
Delaware law requires the official seal to display the notary's name and the words 'State of Delaware' along with 'Notary Public.'
Question 2: What must a Delaware notary do if their official seal is lost or stolen?
- Continue using a handwritten signature until a replacement arrives
- Report the loss to the Delaware Department of State and take steps to prevent misuse (Correct answer)
- Immediately resign their commission
- Purchase a new seal without notifying any authority
Correct answer: Report the loss to the Delaware Department of State and take steps to prevent misuse
A notary must promptly notify the Delaware Department of State when a seal is lost or stolen to prevent fraudulent notarizations.
Question 3: Which type of seal device is acceptable for use by a Delaware notary public?
- Only an embosser that creates a raised impression
- Only a rubber ink stamp
- Either a rubber ink stamp or an embosser (Correct answer)
- Only a digital electronic seal
Correct answer: Either a rubber ink stamp or an embosser
Delaware permits notaries to use either a rubber ink stamp or an embosser, provided the impression is clear and legible on the document.
Question 4: When must a Delaware notary stop using their official seal?
- Six months before the commission expires
- On the day the commission expires or is revoked (Correct answer)
- One year after the commission expires
- Only when explicitly ordered by a court
Correct answer: On the day the commission expires or is revoked
A notary's authority to perform official acts and use their seal ends on the expiration or revocation date of their commission.
Question 5: Who bears primary responsibility for the safekeeping of a notary's official seal in Delaware?
- The county clerk's office
- The notary's employer
- The notary public personally (Correct answer)
- The Delaware Secretary of State
Correct answer: The notary public personally
The individual notary is personally responsible for keeping the seal secure and preventing unauthorized use.
Question 6: May a Delaware notary public permit another person to use their official seal?
- Yes, if the other person is a licensed attorney
- Yes, if the notary is present and supervises
- No, the seal is personal and may not be used by another (Correct answer)
- Yes, with written authorization from the Department of State
Correct answer: No, the seal is personal and may not be used by another
A notary's seal is personal and may never be used by another person; doing so could constitute notarial misconduct or fraud.
Question 7: What should a Delaware notary do with their seal when their commission expires and they do not intend to renew?
- Donate it to a local government office
- Keep it as a personal memento without destroying it
- Destroy or deface the seal to prevent future unauthorized use (Correct answer)
- Return it to the original manufacturer
Correct answer: Destroy or deface the seal to prevent future unauthorized use
To prevent fraudulent use after expiration, a notary who does not renew should destroy or deface the seal so it cannot produce a valid impression.
DE Notary Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements 1
Which of the following items is required to appear on a Delaware notary public's official seal?