{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/47.1-28.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/47.1-28.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/47.1-28.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/47.1-28.html"}],"law_id":79939,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79939,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-28","catch_line":"Willful misconduct a misdemeanor","history":"1980, c. 580; 2008, cc. 117, 814.","full_text":"A\n\nAny notary who knowingly and willfully commits any official misconduct under Chapter 5 (§ 47.1-24 et seq.) of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.B\n\nAny employer of a notary who willfully induces such notary to commit official misconduct under Chapter 5 of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.C\n\nAny person who knowingly and willfully misrepresents on an application for commission as a notary whether they have been convicted of any felony under the laws of this Commonwealth, of any other state, or of the United States shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":286305,"text":"Any notary who knowingly and willfully commits any official misconduct under Chapter 5 (§ 47.1-24 et seq.) of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":286306,"text":"Any employer of a notary who willfully induces such notary to commit official misconduct under Chapter 5 of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":286307,"text":"Any person who knowingly and willfully misrepresents on an application for commission as a notary whether they have been convicted of any felony under the laws of this Commonwealth, of any other state, or of the United States shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14522,"edition_id":1,"name":"Civil and Criminal Liability","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13724,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:30","permalink":{"id":233061,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14522,"identifier":"6","token":"47.1\/6","url":"\/47.1\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13724,"edition_id":1,"name":"Notaries and Out-Of-State Commissioners","identifier":"47.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:41","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:41","permalink":{"id":232925,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13724,"identifier":"47.1","token":"47.1","url":"\/47.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":67224,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-26","catch_line":"Civil liability of notary","url":"\/47.1-26\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-26","metadata":false},{"id":84093,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-27","catch_line":"Civil liability of employer of notary","url":"\/47.1-27\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-27","metadata":false},{"id":79939,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-28","catch_line":"Willful misconduct a misdemeanor","url":"\/47.1-28\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-28","metadata":false},{"id":59810,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-29","catch_line":"Impersonation of notary a felony","url":"\/47.1-29\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-29","metadata":false},{"id":55955,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-29.1","catch_line":"Wrongful possession of software or hardware","url":"\/47.1-29.1\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-29.1","metadata":false},{"id":66442,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-30","catch_line":"Conflict of interests","url":"\/47.1-30\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-30","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":84093,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-27","catch_line":"Civil liability of employer of notary","url":"\/47.1-27\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-27","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":59810,"structure_id":14522,"section_number":"47.1-29","catch_line":"Impersonation of notary a felony","url":"\/47.1-29\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-29","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/47.1-28\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1980. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 580 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1980 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2008, chapters 117<\/a> and 814<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":59459,"section_number":"47.1-24","catch_line":"Removal of notary by administrative process; surrender of commission; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/47.1-24\/"}],"permalink":{"id":233071,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79939,"identifier":"47.1-28","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-28","url":"\/47.1-28\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/47.1-28\/","token":"47.1\/6\/47.1-28","dublin_core":{"Title":"Willful misconduct a misdemeanor","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 47.1-28","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any notary<\/span> who knowingly and willfully commits any official misconduct<\/span> under Chapter 5 (§ 47.1-24<\/a> et seq.) of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any employer of a notary<\/span> who willfully induces such notary<\/span> to commit official misconduct<\/span> under Chapter 5 of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Any person who knowingly and willfully misrepresents on an application for commission as a notary<\/span> whether they have been convicted of any felony<\/span> under the laws<\/span> of this Commonwealth, of any other state<\/span>, or of the United States<\/span> shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWILLFUL MISCONDUCT A MISDEMEANOR (\u00a7 47.1-28)\n\nA. Any notary who knowingly and willfully commits any official misconduct under\nChapter 5 (§ 47.1-24 et seq.) of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3\nmisdemeanor.\n\nB. Any employer of a notary who willfully induces such notary to commit official\nmisconduct under Chapter 5 of this title shall be guilty of a Class 3\nmisdemeanor.\n\nC. Any person who knowingly and willfully misrepresents on an application for\ncommission as a notary whether they have been convicted of any felony under the\nlaws of this Commonwealth, of any other state, or of the United States shall be\nguilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 1980, c. 580; 2008, cc. 117, 814.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}