Notary 's Name is legally changed

Notaries can get married or divorced during their term of office. The VA Notary Handbook has a procedure for this:

"Occasionally it is necessary for the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth to certify that a notary is properly commissioned to serve in Virginia. A notary whose name is legally changed during his or her term must indicate in writing the name in which the commission was issued.
For example, if Mary Jane Smith, a notary public commissioned on July 1, 2001, changed her legal name to Mary Smith Jones, she must indicate on all notarial acts the original name in which her commission was issued. Therefore the following language should appear:

“My commission expires, this ___ day of ___, 20__.
I was commissioned a notary public as Mary Jane Smith.”



By using this additional language, Mrs. Jones will avoid confusion over her ability to serve as a notary. When she reapplies for a commission, she may do so in her new name. If you have a notary seal issued in your old name, continue to use that seal until your notary commission expires.*