{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/55.1-616.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/55.1-616.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/55.1-616.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/55.1-616.html"}],"law_id":57962,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57962,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-616","catch_line":"“Notarial acts” defined; who may perform notarial acts outside the Commonwealth for use in the Commonwealth","history":"1970, c. 719, \u00a7 55-118.1; 2019, c. 712.","full_text":"A\n\nFor the purposes of this article, “notarial acts” means acts that the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth authorize notaries public of the Commonwealth to perform, including the administering of oaths and affirmations, taking proof of execution and acknowledgments of instruments, and attesting documents.B\n\nNotarial acts may be performed outside the Commonwealth for use in the Commonwealth with the same effect as if performed by a notary public of the Commonwealth by the following persons authorized pursuant to the laws and regulations of other governments in addition to any other person authorized by the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth:1\n\nA notary public authorized to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed;2\n\nA judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of any court of record in the place in which the notarial act is performed;3\n\nAn officer of the foreign service of the United States, a consular agent, or any other person authorized by regulation of the U.S. Department of State to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed;4\n\nA commissioned officer in active service with the Armed Forces of the United States and any other person authorized by regulation of the armed forces to perform notarial acts if the notarial act is performed for one of the following or his dependents: a merchant seaman of the United States, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any other person serving with or accompanying a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; or5\n\nAny other person authorized to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":212293,"text":"For the purposes of this article, “notarial acts” means acts that the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth authorize notaries public of the Commonwealth to perform, including the administering of oaths and affirmations, taking proof of execution and acknowledgments of instruments, and attesting documents.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":212294,"text":"Notarial acts may be performed outside the Commonwealth for use in the Commonwealth with the same effect as if performed by a notary public of the Commonwealth by the following persons authorized pursuant to the laws and regulations of other governments in addition to any other person authorized by the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":212295,"text":"A notary public authorized to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":212296,"text":"A judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of any court of record in the place in which the notarial act is performed;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"4":{"id":212297,"text":"An officer of the foreign service of the United States, a consular agent, or any other person authorized by regulation of the U.S. Department of State to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"B4"},"5":{"id":212298,"text":"A commissioned officer in active service with the Armed Forces of the United States and any other person authorized by regulation of the armed forces to perform notarial acts if the notarial act is performed for one of the following or his dependents: a merchant seaman of the United States, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any other person serving with or accompanying a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; or","type":"section","prefixes":["B","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"B4","prefix_anchor":"B4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B3","next_prefix":"B5"},"6":{"id":212299,"text":"Any other person authorized to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"B5","prefix_anchor":"B5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B4"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15221,"edition_id":1,"name":"Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13525,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:08","permalink":{"id":245529,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15221,"identifier":"3","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3","url":"\/55.1\/II\/6\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13525,"edition_id":1,"name":"Recordation of Documents","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13524,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:07","permalink":{"id":245459,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13525,"identifier":"6","token":"55.1\/II\/6","url":"\/55.1\/II\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13524,"edition_id":1,"name":"Real Estate Settlements and Recordation","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12707,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:07","permalink":{"id":245369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13524,"identifier":"II","token":"55.1\/II","url":"\/55.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12707,"edition_id":1,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":244769,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12707,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":57962,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-616","catch_line":"\"Notarial acts\" defined; who may perform notarial acts outside the Commonwealth for use in the Commonwealth","url":"\/55.1-616\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-616","metadata":false},{"id":79509,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-617","catch_line":"Proof of authority of person performing notarial act","url":"\/55.1-617\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-617","metadata":false},{"id":86563,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-618","catch_line":"What person taking acknowledgment shall certify","url":"\/55.1-618\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-618","metadata":false},{"id":75765,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-619","catch_line":"When form of certificate of acknowledgment accepted","url":"\/55.1-619\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-619","metadata":false},{"id":62752,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-620","catch_line":"Meaning of \"acknowledged before me.\"","url":"\/55.1-620\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-620","metadata":false},{"id":60693,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-621","catch_line":"Statutory short forms of acknowledgment","url":"\/55.1-621\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-621","metadata":false},{"id":64006,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-622","catch_line":"Application of article; article cumulative","url":"\/55.1-622\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-622","metadata":false},{"id":65930,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-623","catch_line":"Uniform interpretation","url":"\/55.1-623\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-623","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":79509,"structure_id":15221,"section_number":"55.1-617","catch_line":"Proof of authority of person performing notarial act","url":"\/55.1-617\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-617","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-616\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1970. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 719 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 1970 \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 2019, chapter 712<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":61518,"section_number":"55.1-600","catch_line":"When and where writings recorded","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-600\/"},{"id":79509,"section_number":"55.1-617","catch_line":"Proof of authority of person performing notarial act","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-617\/"},{"id":75765,"section_number":"55.1-619","catch_line":"When form of certificate of acknowledgment accepted","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-619\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":245531,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57962,"identifier":"55.1-616","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-616","url":"\/55.1-616\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-616\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/3\/55.1-616","dublin_core":{"Title":"“Notarial acts” defined; who may perform notarial acts outside the Commonwealth for use in the Commonwealth","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-616","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For the purposes of this article, “notarial acts<\/span>” means acts that the laws<\/span> and regulations of the Commonwealth authorize notaries public of the Commonwealth to perform, including the administering of oaths<\/span> and affirmations, taking proof of execution and acknowledgments of instruments, and attesting documents. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Notarial acts<\/span> may be performed outside the Commonwealth for use in the Commonwealth with the same effect as if performed by a notary public of the Commonwealth by the following persons authorized pursuant to the laws<\/span> and regulations of other governments in addition to any other person authorized by the laws<\/span> and regulations of the Commonwealth: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A notary public authorized to perform notarial acts<\/span> in the place in which the notarial act is performed; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A judge<\/span>, clerk, or deputy clerk of any court<\/span> of record in the place in which the notarial act is performed; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> An officer of the foreign service of the United States, a consular agent, or any other person authorized by regulation of the U.S. Department of State to perform notarial acts<\/span> in the place in which the notarial act is performed; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> A commissioned officer in active service with the Armed Forces of the United States and any other person authorized by regulation of the armed forces to perform notarial acts<\/span> if the notarial act is performed for one of the following or his dependents: a merchant seaman of the United States, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any other person serving with or accompanying a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Any other person authorized to perform notarial acts<\/span> in the place in which the notarial act is performed. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n“NOTARIAL ACTS” DEFINED; WHO MAY PERFORM NOTARIAL ACTS OUTSIDE THE\nCOMMONWEALTH FOR USE IN THE COMMONWEALTH (\u00a7 55.1-616)\n\nA. For the purposes of this article, “notarial acts” means acts that\nthe laws and regulations of the Commonwealth authorize notaries public of the\nCommonwealth to perform, including the administering of oaths and affirmations,\ntaking proof of execution and acknowledgments of instruments, and attesting\ndocuments.\n\nB. Notarial acts may be performed outside the Commonwealth for use in the\nCommonwealth with the same effect as if performed by a notary public of the\nCommonwealth by the following persons authorized pursuant to the laws and\nregulations of other governments in addition to any other person authorized by\nthe laws and regulations of the Commonwealth:\n\n 1. A notary public authorized to perform notarial acts in the place in which\n the notarial act is performed;\n\n 2. A judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of any court of record in the place in\n which the notarial act is performed;\n\n 3. An officer of the foreign service of the United States, a consular agent,\n or any other person authorized by regulation of the U.S. Department of State\n to perform notarial acts in the place in which the notarial act is performed;\n\n 4. A commissioned officer in active service with the Armed Forces of the\n United States and any other person authorized by regulation of the armed\n forces to perform notarial acts if the notarial act is performed for one of\n the following or his dependents: a merchant seaman of the United States, a\n member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any other person serving\n with or accompanying a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; or\n\n 5. Any other person authorized to perform notarial acts in the place in which\n the notarial act is performed.\n\nHISTORY: 1970, c. 719, \u00a7 55-118.1; 2019, c. 712.","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}}