1. In notarizing a paper document, a notary public shall affix an official signature and an official seal on the notarial certificate at the time the notarial act is performed.

2. The official seal of a notary shall not be used for any purpose other than performing notarial acts.

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 486.725

  • certificate: the part of, or attachment to, a notarized document that, in the performance of the notarization, is completed by the notary, bears the notary's official signature and seal, and states the date, venue, and facts attested by the notary in the particular notarial act. See Missouri Laws 486.600
  • Commission: both the granting of authority to perform notarial acts and the written evidence of the granting of authority to perform such acts. See Missouri Laws 486.600
  • notary: any person commissioned to perform notarial acts pursuant to this chapter. See Missouri Laws 486.600
  • Official signature: a handwritten signature made by a notary that uses the exact name appearing in the notary's commission and is signed with the intent to perform a notarial act. See Missouri Laws 486.600
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Secretary: the secretary of state for the state of Missouri. See Missouri Laws 486.600

3. The official seal of a notary shall:

(1) Be the exclusive property of the notary;

(2) Not be affixed by any other person;

(3) Be kept secure and accessible only to the notary; and

(4) Not be surrendered to an employer upon termination of employment.

4. Within ten days after the official seal of a notary is discovered to be stolen, lost, damaged, or otherwise rendered incapable of affixing a legible image, the notary, after informing the appropriate law enforcement agency in the case of theft or vandalism, shall notify the secretary by any means providing a tangible receipt, including certified mail and electronic transmission, and also provide a copy or number of any pertinent police report. Upon receipt of such notice, the secretary shall issue to the notary a new commission that shall be presented to a seal vendor in accordance with section 486.735.

5. As soon as reasonably practicable after resignation, or expiration of a notary commission, or death of the notary, the seal shall be destroyed or defaced so that it may not be misused.

6. For a commission that has been revoked, the notary shall forward their seal to the secretary’s office for disposal. Failure to do so may be punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars, at the discretion of the secretary.

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