What is the purpose of a Georgia notary’s seal?

• A. To authenticate the notarial act and identify the notary and commission details
• B. To decorate the document
• C. To indicate the document is void
• D. To replace witnesses

Answer: (A)

Notary seals are there to provide official authentication and to identify who performed the notarization and that the notary was properly commissioned. When the seal is applied, it creates an official mark linking the document to a specific Georgia notary, showing the notary’s name and title and often including the commission expiration date (and sometimes the county). This combination gives future readers a reliable way to verify that the notarization came from a legally authorized person and that the notary’s authority was current at the time of notarization. The seal isn’t for decoration, it doesn’t indicate the document is void, and it isn’t used to replace witnesses where a witness is required.