                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PROOF OF AUTHORITY OF PERSON PERFORMING NOTARIAL ACT (§ 55.1-617)

A. If the notarial act is performed by any of the persons described in
subdivisions B 1 through 4 of &#xA7; 55.1-616 other than a person authorized to
perform notarial acts by the laws or regulations of a foreign country, the
signature, rank, or title and serial number, if any, of the person are
sufficient proof of the authority of a holder of that rank or title to perform
the notarial act. Further proof of his authority is not required.

B. If the notarial act is performed by a person authorized by the laws or
regulations of a foreign country to perform the notarial act, there is
sufficient proof of the authority of that person to act if:

   1. Either a foreign service officer of the United States resident in the
   country in which the notarial act is performed or a diplomatic or consular
   officer of the foreign country resident in the United States certifies that a
   person holding that office is authorized to perform the notarial act;

   2. The official seal of the person performing the notarial act is affixed to
   the document; or

   3. The title and indication of authority to perform notarial acts of the
   person appears either in a digest of foreign law or in a list customarily used
   as a source of such information.

C. If the notarial act is performed by a person other than one described in
subsections A and B, there is sufficient proof of the authority of that person
to act if the clerk of a court of record in the place in which the notarial act
is performed certifies to the official character of that person and to his
authority to perform the notarial act.

D. The signature and title of the person performing the notarial act are prima
facie evidence that he is a person with the designated title and that the
signature is genuine.

HISTORY: 1970, c. 719, § 55-118.2; 2019, c. 712.