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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>63757</law_id><section_number>47.1-9</section_number><catch_line>Oath of notary; duties of clerks</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="47.1">Notaries and Out-Of-State Commissioners</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Appointment</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Before receiving his commission, each person appointed a notary shall appear before the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> to which his commission has been sent, present sufficient satisfaction of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of identity as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/47.1-2/">47.1-2</a>, and make <span class="dictionary">oath</span> as follows:
		&#x201C;I,&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;., solemnly swear (or <span class="dictionary">affirm</span>) under <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of <span class="dictionary">perjury</span>, that I have carefully read the notary <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of this Commonwealth, and am familiar with their provisions; that I will <span class="dictionary">uphold</span> the Constitution of the United <span class="dictionary">States</span> and the Constitution and <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth of Virginia; and that I will faithfully perform, to the best of my ability, the duties of the office of notary public.&#x201D;
		Such <span class="dictionary">oath</span> shall be signed by the applicant and attested by the clerk. The clerk shall thereupon <span class="dictionary">issue</span> to the applicant his commission as notary public or <span class="dictionary">electronic notary public</span>. Within 14 days of such qualification, the clerk shall certify the <span class="dictionary">fact</span> of such qualification to the <span class="dictionary">Secretary</span> of the Commonwealth.
		No person shall be permitted to qualify who does not appear before the clerk within 60 days of his appointment. The clerk of each <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall, at least once each month, return to the <span class="dictionary">Secretary</span> all commissions which have not been claimed within such 60-day period, and the <span class="dictionary">Secretary</span> shall forthwith cancel the same.</p></section></text><history>1980, c. 580; 2007, cc. 269, 590; 2008, cc. 117, 814; 2012, c. 566.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
