If a Notary has a valid current commission in Connecticut, but their stamp has the previous commission’s expiration date on it, is it OK to use that stamp and change the date? — C.V., Connecticut
It would not be a good idea. Connecticut law prescribes the elements that must be in a Notary seal if a Notary chooses to use a seal. It is optional to include the commission expiration date. Since it is optional to include a commission expiration date, technically, one could argue that crossing out the expired date and writing in the correct date is allowed. But think about how that would look. It wouldn’t be long before a notarial act was challenged due to the crossed-out date. As a result, we recommend obtaining a new seal.
Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors
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