Frequently Asked Questions

Whether this is your first time seeking notary service or you’re a veteran to the notarial process, you may have questions about what a notary does, what they can and cannot do, and about my own personal policies as a notary. Below you will find common questions and answers grouped into five different categories. If you have a question that you don’t see answered here, please feel free to reach out using my general contact form.

Note: Each state has their own notary laws and requirements, so while some of this information may apply to notaries of other states, it is best that you seek information about notaries in your state if you are outside of Virginia. Also, each notary may have their own policies that differ from mine.

Appointments & Fees
Identification & Jurisdiction
Documents
Copies
Other

You can request an appointment by filling out this form. This is the quickest and most efficient way to request an appointment. You should receive an automated response confirming receipt of your appointment request. I will follow-up by email directly, usually within 24 hours. If you did not receive an automated response from me or a direct response from me, check your spam folder. I send email from both lynchburgnotary.com and edwardthomas.org domains, so you may want to “whitelist” those domains inside the settings of your email provider.

If email does not work for you, I can send a SMS text message to (540) 4-NOTARY from your mobile phone (not VOIP or other provider).

Please do not call this number as I rarely answer or have time to return voicemail messages. Also, I do receive a lot of spam calls and emails. Using information received from SMS and email help me to identify real clients from scammers.

I do not have regular hours of availability and I am not “on-call” nor am I available every day. I perform notarial acts by appointment only and usually as a “last resort” after you have exhausted all other options for finding a notary. You should always plan a minimum 1-2 day lead time for appointments. Hospital signings will take priority when it comes to scheduling and I make every effort to schedule those same-day if at all possible. My highest level of availability is after 3pm on weekdays (additional travel fees apply after 6pm and on weekends). I can sometimes offer earlier appointments but usually require at least a 5-day notice to rearrange my schedule. If you have an immediate need for notary services, please click here to see other options for finding a notary in your area who may be available sooner.

No. To ensure the safety and privacy of all parties, I will only perform notarial acts in public settings. I may agree to come to your place of business as long as there is an appropriate space for properly performing the notarial act without distraction or disruption. While it is your responsibility to secure a location for our appointment, I reserve the right to refuse notarization in any environment deemed unsatisfactory for performing my duties.

Generally speaking, I am happy to come to a hospital or other healthcare facility to perform notarial service. However, you should first check with facility’s staff before contacting a mobile notary as most healthcare facilities have notaries on-site or have a preferred list of notaries they use.

You do have the right to select your own notary and are not required to use the staff or contracted notaries of any facility, however, some facilities have security policies or other restrictions on outside persons entering the facility. In these cases, it is usually best to choose a notary that has already been approved to provide service in their facility.

If you still wish to have me provide you notarial service, travel fees may apply in accordance with my standard travel fee policy found by clicking here. Additionally, there are certain extra procedures and precautions I undertake when performing hospital signings that can be reviewed by clicking here.

Yes. Because one of my primary obligations as a notary public is to ensure that the person signing is of sound mind and signing of their own free will, there are some special conditions that must be met for me to perform notarial service at a hospital or other healthcare facility. More information can be found by clicking here.

I charge the maximum allowed under the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-19) for each notarial act. As of July 1, 2024 this fee is $10.00 per act. A notarial act is defined as each time I affix my seal and signature to a document. For most appointments, there will be just one notarial act but some may require multiple notarizations and therefore will incur more than one notary charge. If any notary in the Commonwealth of Virginia ever quotes you a higher fee than this for notarial acts alone, they are breaking the law and you should report your experience to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Note: This fee is solely for the notarial act itself. Notaries may charge reasonable travel fees, but they must disclose these fees to you beforehand and you must agree to these fees in advance. Depending on your location and time of appointment, I may or may not charge a travel fee. You can read more about the travel fees I charge by clicking here.

Depending on the chosen location and the time of your notary appointment, there may be travel fees. My “home base” is within a 10-minute drive of the intersection of Waterlick & Timberlake Roads in Campbell County. Appointment locations within my “home base” do not incur any travel fees during business hours, but do incur travel fees during after-hours. Appointment locations outside of my “home base” incur travel fees at all hours, but they are higher after-hours. All areas incur additional travel fees on federal or state holidays. Please click here for more information on my travel fees.

Virginia law (§ 47.1-19) prohibits a notary from charging more than the maximum statutory amount for each notarial act performed. Notaries may, however, impose a reasonable travel fee to recover both actual and reasonable costs of travel to perform the notarial act if it is outside of the location where he or she normally performs notarial acts. You can find out more about my travel fees by clicking here.

Upon request, I can also provide basic printing services for your documents if you do not have access to a laser printer or choose not to use a retail printing service.

I do not charge any other fees and provide no additional services nor do I sell any products. In the event that a loose certificate is required for your notarial act or you elect to use my printed version of § 64.2-452, I provide those at my expense and at no additional cost to you.

I do not charge any convenience fees as that is not allowed under Virginia law (§ 47.1-19). The only fees I charge are (1) the statutory maximum fee per notarial act; (2) travel fees when applicable; (3) printing fees if elected by the client. For printing services, there is a $3.50 base fee and then a per-page fee. You can read more about my travel fees by clicking here and about my printing service fees by clicking here.

Yes! While the preferred payment method is cash, I do accept payment via credit or debit card as well as contactless payments. I use the Square payment system and accept contactless payment (Apply Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay), and chip (EMV) cards only. ** I no longer accept payment via traditional magnetic strip cards. If your card does not have a chip, you will need to make payment using another payment method. Payments will appear on your bank or credit card statement as “SQ * Edward Thomas” or “SQ * Lynchburg Notary” or similar.

For jobs requiring travel of 20 minutes or greater one way, pre-payment of non-refundable travel fees is required, even if the job has to be cancelled or terminated. For these transactions, you must pay by credit or debit card (you can still pay cash in person for your notary fee). I will send you a link to securely make your payment online via the Square online store. Your credit card information is never stored by me nor does it appear on any receipts or invoices (except for the last 4 digits of your card number).

For your protection, the name on your card must match the name on your identification and the card must be in the name of the person whose signature is being notarized or the cardholder must also be present and show identification. (For example, if a husband is being notarized, I will not accept his wife’s credit card as payment unless she is also present and shows her identification).

There is no cost to you for paying by credit or debit card. All processing fees are paid for by me. Because of this, I do prefer cash, but am happy to provide this easy and secure payment option for my clients.

Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2) lists the only acceptable documents or methods for satisfactorily proving identity. You can find a list of acceptable forms of identification by clicking here.

No. Neither a Social Security card nor your birth certificate are valid form of identification according to the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2). For acceptable forms of identification, please click here.

The law is silent on this topic, but it is generally advised that the address on your identification should be your current address. Remember, you are attesting to your identity, and part of your identity includes where you live. I need to verify that with your identification document. This is my policy and other notaries may have different policies.

I will confirm that the address on your identification is current address. If it is not, I will ask for an alternative identification that matches your current address. If you do not have that, I will not be able to proceed with the notary service until you obtain updated identification.

According to the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2), if the signer is a resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility and they have an expired passport, state issued drivers license, or state issued photo identification card, these may be used to satisfy the identity requirements of a notarial act provided that the document is unaltered and the expiration date is within 5 years (60 months).

If the expiration of the identification instrument is outside of the 5 year window or you are not a resident of a nursing home as defined in § 32.1-123, then you will need to have your identify verified through other means.

As of July 1, 2024, Virginia allows electronic notaries (“e-notaries”) to verify a signer’s identify through “Knowledge-Based Authentication” or “KBA” (§ 47.1-2). With a KBA, the signer verifies their identity by answering 5 questions about themselves using data that is mined from public databases and credit reports and they must score an 80% or higher. My interpretation of the law as written indicates that this method of verification only applies to e-notaries, which I am not. For my notary services, I do not and cannot employ KBA as a method for verifying identification.

If you have none of the approved forms of identification, the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2) describes alternate ways of verifying your identity. This is a much more complicated process and requires that you have two credible witnesses, personally known to you, who are disinterested parties to the document or transaction. These witnesses must be able to satisfy the statutory requirements in the Code for proving their identity and will attest, under penalty of law, to your identity. You must inform me in advance if you are unable to produce approved identification documentation and need to use alternate verification.

Yes. Notaries in Virginia have the authority to perform notarial acts regardless of the state or jurisdiction in which the document originated or where it will be sent, exercised, or recorded. These powers are granted by the Governor and may be performed at-large anywhere within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Virginia notaries have limited authority to perform notarial acts when outside of the Commonwealth. Under guidelines described within the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-13.1), a Virginia notary can notarize a document while outside the borders of the Commonwealth of Virginia as long as the document being notarizing is for use exclusively within the Commonwealth. Additionally, the “Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public” states that the authority to notarize documents outside of the borders of the Commonwealth expands to include documents to be used exclusively by the United States government (2021, p. 6).

I generally decline to notarize documents outside of the boundaries of Virginia. However, if I do, It is my policy to only perform out-of-state notarial acts when a document is for use exclusively within the Commonwealth.

No. I do not provide, sell, or recommend legal documents or forms. The exception to this is loose certificates that I provide, if needed, at no charge to you. Upon request, I can also provide a pre-printed “Self-Proving Affidavit for Last Will & Testament” on 24lb paper which is lifted directly from VA § 64.2-452.

It is generally advised that documents being notarized should not be printed using inkjet printers as dye-based and water-soluble inks are not appropriate for archiving. It is the responsibility of the signer to ensure they have all necessary documents before the notarial process begins.

If you do not have access to a laser printer, you can have your documents printed at most public libraries, office supply stores, and shipping stores. These locations do charge a range of fees for this convenience. Please ensure with the staff or attendants that the printers they use are not inkjet.

It is recommended that you obtain at least two (2) sets of documents so that you have a backup in case the first copy is damaged or becomes unusable during notary service. If you prefer, I can print your documents using a laser printer. I charge a base-fee for this service as well as a charge per-page. You can find out more about my printing fees by clicking here.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, specific wording is codified by law and must appear upon every notarial act for which a notary attaches their signature and seal. While there are multiple reasons why you could need a loose certificate, the two most common reasons are:

The document dos not have notarial wording or has wording that is substantially different from the wording required under Virginia statute;
The correct wording exists on the original document but there is not enough room for a notary seal to be imprinted without encroaching onto the signatures or other portions of the document text.

In these instances, a “loose certificate” will be required and attached to your document. A loose certificate is a separate page that includes the necessary wording required under Virginia law in order to complete a notarial act. When using a loose certificate, the notary does not sign nor stamp the original document, even of there is a place for them to do so. Instead, you and the notary complete and attach-by-staple the loose certificate in order to properly have the document notarized. It is very important that you never remove the staple or ever separate the loose certificate from the original document for any reason as this likely will invalidate the notarization.

As a courtesy, I can provide pre-printed loose certificates at no charge.

Absolutely not. Any multi-page document that I notarize must have all of its pages bound together by a single staple in the upper left-hand corner of the document before the document leaves my sight. This also applies to documents that have loose certificates attached.

While some notaries may be willing to attach certificates by other means including paper clip, binder clip, etc., the legality of this action is questionable at best. Using paper clips to secure a certificate does not properly attach it to the document and therefore violates the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2) requirements found in the definition of a “notarial certificate.” In stapling a certificate to a document, this attaches the certificate by the best means available to ensure it is not removed and attached to another document, either intentionally or by accident. In addition, because removing a staple will leave evidence that a page has at some point been detached, a properly stapled document provides information to the recorder as to the integrity of the notarial certificate.

It is very important that you do not remove the staple from a notarized document. If at any time in the future I am called to testify to the notarization of a document and I see evidence of staple tampering on a document purporting to bear my seal, I will not be able to positively attest that the document in question was the document for which I performed the notarial act.

If you cannot or do not want to have your documents stapled together, you will need to seek assistance from another notary public. If you need to make copies or scan a document before it is stapled, you should arrange to have your notary appointment at a location that offers scanning or copying services. I will permit, under my supervision, documents to be scanned or copied before I stapled them together, but a document must be stapled together before it leaves my sight. All copies of notarized documents should bear the word “COPY.”

No. I am not an attorney and it is against the law for me to provide you with any legal advice or assist with the creation of any legal documents. If you have a Power of Attorney already drafted and just need the document notarized, I can help you with that. However, I cannot review a document, make corrections or suggestions to a document, nor critique or make assurances as to the legality of any document.

No. I am not an attorney and it is against the law for me to provide you with any legal advice or assist with the creation of any legal documents. If you have a “last will & testament” already drafted and need a self-proving affidavit, I can help you with that as well as providing a form that contains the necessary wording found in VA § 64.2-452. However, I cannot review a document, make corrections or suggestions to a document, nor critique or make assurances as to the legality of any document.

As I am not an attorney and can provide no legal advice, I cannot direct who can or cannot be a witness to the signing of a will. That is a decision you must make, preferably in conjunction with your attorney. However, I do have a policy regarding whose signatures I am willing to notarize in regards to documents such as a “will and testament.”

I will not notarize the signatures of witnesses on an will or “self-proving affidavit” (SPA) if any of those witnesses are also named within the document itself. This will require that I glance through your document before beginning the notary process. I am not reviewing your document for any reason other than to look for the names of persons mentioned and to compare those names against the persons whose signatures I am notarizing.

This is not necessarily a reflection of legal limitations or requirements but simply my policy and exercised under my right to refuse to notarize documents for any reason. I cannot offer advice or guarantees as to the legality of the document or the choice of witnesses to the SPA.

Although I am not able to comment on the legality of your choice of witness, due to the potential for conflicts of interest, it is my policy not to notarize signatures of witnesses if they are an immediate family member by blood, adoption, or marriage to the principal signer. Immediate family members are defined, in this instance, as a spouse or partner, child, parent, step-child, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. Special circumstances may arise in which I will agree to notarize an immediate family member as a witness, but these will be decided on a case by case basis.

This is not necessarily a reflection of legal limits but simply my policy and exercised under my right to refuse to notarize documents for any reason. I cannot offer advice or guarantees as to the legality of any document or the choice of witnesses to a notarial act.

No. It is against the law for me to advise you or to explain any document to you. You must fully comprehend any document to which you sign your name. If you do not fully understand your document, please contact the document originator for explanation and/or an attorney.

It is not legal for me to describe, summarize, or explain any document to a signer (visually impaired or not). Whenever I have a client who is blind or visually impaired, I will ask the signer if he or she has had the document read aloud to them by a trusted individual. Depending on the document’s length, I may offer to read (or re-read) the document in its entirety. I will ask the signer if they understand the document, but it is against the law for me to advise or to explain any document to the signer.

If I am satisfied that the signer comprehends the document they are about to sign, and that they are doing so of their own free will and without undue pressure, I may (at the signers request) place their hand at the appropriate location for their signature. After that, the signer must fully sign their name unassisted by the notary or any other person.

There is no way to completely avoid fraud or attempts at committing fraud. There are a couple of ways, though, that I try to mitigate fraud when it comes to documents that I notarize:

While I notarize documents using blank ink, I require all notarized signatures to be in blue ink. I also prefer the use of ball point pens. Using blue ink helps to identify original documents from copies. Even in the case of color copies, there are usually artifacts around the signatures that make it evident that a copy has been made of an original document.
I use staples to attach all documents I notarize to the notarial certificate. This includes when using loose certificates. The use of staples not only properly attaches the certificate to the documents, but it provides for a visual mechanism of detecting when someone has tampered with a notarized document.
When copies or scans are made in my presence, before stapling a document or a loose certificate to a document, I require that a small removable note be attached to the face of a document with the word “copy” so that all subsequent copies or prints of scans easily identify that this is not the original document.
I keep a “Journal of Notarial Acts” and record dates, times, locations, descriptions of the act along with the documents, names, addresses, verification methods, and your signature. If ever called to testify about a document, I will be able to refer to my journal for information about the notarial act in question.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, both a “certified copy” and “attested copy,” relating to the actions of a notary public, are interchangeable. A notarized true copy of a document can properly be considered a “certified copy” in Virginia because the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2) specifically mentions “copy certification” in it’s definitions of notarial acts. However, because the term “certified copy” has different meanings in different states as well as with different documents and institutions, most notaries will refer to these copies as “attested copies.”

For purposes within the Commonwealth of Virginia, it really makes no difference. I typically use the term “certified,” and that is the word used on my loose certificates which take their language directly from the Code of Virginia.

Whereas a “certified copy” is when a notary or other empowered/authorized individual attests that a copy of a document is true, a “Copy Certification by Document Custodian” is when the document holder alone attests to the copy being an actual reproduction of an original document. The notary is not making any such claim or statement about the copy itself, but instead will notarize the custodian’s signature on the statement regarding the copy.

In other words, it is your statement about the document and not the document itself that is notarized. It is important to note that just because you possess a document does not necessarily mean you are the custodian of the document and are entitled to duplicate it or make claims regarding its legitimacy. For more information on this topic, click here.

My policy is that I will not to attest to a copy of any document which includes language prohibiting or invalidating photocopying of an original document. I also will not notarize a “Copy by Document Custodian” statement for a document which prohibits or invalidates photocopying. If you require a copy of that document, you should contact the creator or custodian of the original document for assistance.

No. In the Commonwealth of Virginia (as in most states), it is illegal for anyone to certify a copy of a vital record whose original is in the custody of the Commonwealth. This includes birth certificates, death certificates, or marriage certificates. Even if you possess an original vital record, the state remains the custodian of that record and therefore copies of those documents must be requested from the Office of Vital Records directly.

In some instances, a “Copy Certification by Document Custodian” may be appropriate, however this is not the same as a certified true copy. To avoid any potential conflicts or legal issues, it is my policy that I will not even notarize “Copy Certification by Document Custodian” statements for any vital records.

No. Even if you possess a copy of a court document or record, the court remains the custodian of those documents and records and it is not legal for me to certify copies of documents which are in the custody of courts. This includes, but is not limited to, divorce decrees, adoption papers, custody orders, sentencing orders, or receipts. I will also not notarize “Copy by Document Custodian” statements for these documents.

If you need a copy of any document in the custody of the courts, you must contact the clerk of that court and jurisdiction.

Many notaries consider this to be a “grey area” of uncertainty as the authority to certify copies of a state issued ID or a Passport is neither expressly given nor prohibited. In the Code of Virginia (§ 47.1-2), notaries are only specifically prohibited from making copies of “public record(s).” This is generally understood to include vital records and records held in possession of the courts.

Whether or not a state issued ID is considered a public record remains debated, and a Passport, being a federally issued document, is debated even more. To avoid any conflicts or potential legal issues, it is my policy to refuse to certify copies of a state issued ID, a Passport book or card, or any military issued ID. I will also not notarize “Copy by Document Custodian” statements for these documents.

It is generally recommended that notaries not certify copies of Social Security cards or even to certify attestations relating to copies of Social Security cards. I have chosen to follow this advice and will not certify any copy or attestation related to a copy of any Social Security card. For questions regarding obtaining a copy of your Social Security card or proof of Social Security number, you should contact the Social Security Administration.

In keeping with my policy regarding refusal to certify copies of state issued IDs and federally issued Passports, I also will not notarize copies of or attestations relating to copies of a Military ID. For information about obtaining a copy of your military ID card or a proof of military ID card, please contact your local RAPIDS ID office.

Your tax return is owned by the state or federal government and the agencies to which it was submitted. If a copy of your tax return is needed, you should contact the IRS and/or state tax agency. I will not certify copies nor attestations relating to copies of tax returns.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not own your medical records. The Code of Virginia (§ 54.1-2403.3) defines ownership of medical records to be the healthcare provider. Because those records are owned by the healthcare provider, you would need to contact them in order to obtain a copy of your records. I cannot certify a copy of a document to which you are not the custodian.

I will only notarize a “Copy by Document Custodian” statement regarding medical records in your possession in the event that the healthcare provider no longer exists and there appears to be no successor owner of the records, or if the record has been purged by the healthcare provider and they can provide you a written statement relinquishing ownership of the record in your possession.

School transcripts belong to the institution or school system you attended. Most educational institutions have policies invalidating copies of academic transcripts that do not originate from the registrar’s office. As such, a copy notarized by any other party would not be valid and therefore I will not perform this act. In the event that a school dissolves, the ownership and custody of academic records are usually transferred to a successor institution or in some cases to the state where the school operated.

I will notarize a “Copy Certification by Document Custodian” statement for academic transcripts only if both of the following are true: (1) the institution from which the transcript originated is no longer operational; (2) you have exhausted all means necessary to contact the current or successor custodian of the official academic records. In this instance, your statement must include these facts before I will agree to attach my signature and seal.

No. I am not a certified signing agent. While legally all notaries in Virginia can perform notarial acts on your loan or mortgage documents, most loan companies require the use of a certified signing agent.

A signing agent is a notary public who has:

gone through extensive and annual background checks;
paid for and received training specific to the signing of loan documents;
has passed an examination of their knowledge regarding loan document signing;
is usually a member of an association of signing agents and has the rights and privileges of using that associations name and seal;
and carries E&O liability insurance.

Being a certified signing agent is more detailed and requires more training and expense than being a standard notary public. These special notaries usually only undertake these steps if they intend to operate as a signing agent for income or profit. Because being a notary is not my occupation, I am not and do not intend to become a signing agent.

To locate a signing agent in your area, please contact your loan company, closing agency, realtor, attorney, or use the location features of any of the signing associations that can be found online. You can also find listings of signing agents in your area by searching the Notary Rotary link at the bottom of my “Find a Notary” page.

While legally it is within my powers to notarize these documents, I will not perform notarial acts on any loan documents or real estate closing documents. These require the special skills and knowledge of a certified signing agent, as well as E&O liability insurance which I no longer carry. To locate a signing agent in your area, please contact your loan company, closing agency, realtor, attorney, or use the location features of any of the signing associations that can be found online. You can also find listings of signing agents in your area by searching the Notary Rotary link at the bottom of my “Find a Notary” page.

The short answer is “sometimes,” depending on whether the notarial act is an acknowledgement or a jurat. A jurat always requires that a document be signed in the presence of a notary public. If a jurat is required and the document is already signed when it appears before a notary public, then that document cannot be notarized by any notary public in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For help determining if a document is a jurat, click here.

It is my policy to only notarize documents signed in my presence, even those for which this is not required.

Absolutely not! It is illegal for a notary public to keep copies of any documents they notarize. It is also not legal for a traditional notary to make or keep a copy of your identification.

I will record in my ledger a description of the document and may record certain information such as dates and serial numbers from your identification (i.e., driver’s license number), but I will not and cannot retain a copy of your document.

For more information on what data I record and retain, please visit my Privacy Policy.

There are legitimate reasons why a minor would need his or her signature on a document notarized (i.e., honor pledges, school applications, etc.). However, it is my policy that I generally will not perform notarial acts for persons under the age of 18 unless they are personally known to me or can show proof of court-ordered emancipation.

For all other instances when a minor’s signature requires notarization, check with your child’s school or school district, guidance office, or the local public library for assistance.

Whenever a jurat is notarized, an oath or affirmation must be administered. It is up to the signer to decide whether they wish to have an oath or an affirmation, the primary difference being that an oaths is a pledge to God whereas affirmations are absent any religious language. Below is the standard oath and affirmation that I administer to my clients:

Oath:
“Under penalty of perjury in the Commonwealth of Virginia, do you solemnly swear that you have been truthful as to your identity and that the statements and facts contained in this document are also true, to the best of your knowledge and belief, so help you God? If so indicate by stating ‘I Do.'”

Affirmation:
“Under penalty of perjury in the Commonwealth of Virginia, do you affirm that you have been truthful as to your identity and that the statements and facts contained in this document are also true, to the best of your knowledge and belief? If so indicate by stating ‘I Do.'”

By default, I usually administer an “Oath” but will happily administer a religiously-neutral “Affirmation” if requested. Regardless of whether an “Oath” or “Affirmation” is administered, the end result is the same and making a false attestation under penalty of perjury is a criminal offense.

I actually have 3 different seals that I use for different purposes.

Round Stamp

My default (and preferred seal) is a round stamp. It is approximately 1.5″ in diameter. The disadvantage to using this seal is that it requires ample space for the impression to avoid encroaching on the text of the document or notarial statement. Some documents created by commercial or government organizations don’t always allow enough space for a round stamp.

Rectangular Stamp

If the round stamp will not fit properly in the notarial space provided on the document, I have a smaller rectangular stamp that I can use. The dimensions of that seal are approximately 0.75″h x 2.25″w. Although wider than the round seal, it does have a much smaller footprint due to the rectangular shape.

Virginia requires notaries to affix a seal to each notarial certificate they sign and that seal cannot encroach upon the text of the document. If neither the round nor rectangular seal will fit in the space provided, a loose certificate will need to be completed and attached to the document.

Embossed (Raised) Seal

By request, I do have a round raised/embossed seal. This seal is also approximately 1.5″ in diameter but it is embossed into the paper. Normally, people prefer a raised seal for more official documents (such as wills or powers of attorney). There are a few stipulations to requesting an embossed seal:

The space for the seal must be at least 2″ in diameter and the center of the 2″ diameter may not be more than 1.5″ from the right-hand edge of the paper due to the limitations of the embosser. I cannot use the impression embosser for any document where the notarial seal space is not on the right-hand side of the document.
The space provided must accommodate the size of the seal without infringing upon the text of the document in any way.
The 2″ diameter requirement includes a buffer area around the seal which is necessary due to the inking process.
Because Virginia law requires that notary seals be reproducible (meaning, they can be photocopied), an embossed seal must be “inked” after the seal has been placed. This may result in an approximately 1/4″ ink circle surrounding the embossed seal. This ink circle is just an artifact of the inking process and sometimes will be more noticeable than others. (See “sample” image).
The paper needs to be a thicker bond paper (preferably 24lb bond). This is because embossing on lighter bond paper could result in tiny holes throughout the embossed area. The embosser can work with 20lb bond paper, but that is not ideal.
You will want to ensure you have multiple copies of any documents to be notarized in the event the embossing process damages the document.

As long as the seal will fit in the space allocated for the notary statement, you can request or choose any of my three seal options. All three are my official seal and all three are legal.