South Carolina Notary Signature: Block, Seal, and Jurat Format

A South Carolina notary’s signature block has to carry six things to be valid: the venue (state and county where the act happens), the date, the signer’s name, the notary’s hand-signed ink signature matching the commission, the notary’s printed or typed name, and the commission expiration date. A seal bearing the notary’s name, the words “Notary Public,” and the words “State of South Carolina” goes alongside it. Those South Carolina notary signature requirements come from Sections 26-1-90 and 26-1-120 of the state code, and leaving any of them out is what typically gets a document bounced by a county recorder.¹

What the Signature Block Must Contain

Section 26-1-90 requires every notarial act to be attested by the notary’s signature exactly as shown on the commission, a legible appearance of the notary’s name, and a statement of when the commission expires.² Section 26-1-120 adds the certificate-level pieces: the venue, the date, and the name of the person who appeared.¹

The printed name can be typed or handwritten near the signature, or it can be legible from the seal impression itself. The expiration date has the same flexibility: it may appear inside the seal, next to the signature line, or elsewhere on the certificate, so long as it appears somewhere. Adding information beyond what the statute requires, such as the capacity in which the person signed or the type of ID they presented, does not invalidate an otherwise correct certificate.¹

One venue detail catches people off guard. The county listed at the top of the certificate is the county where the notarization physically occurs, not where the notary lives. The county that appears near the notary’s signature line is the notary’s county of residence.³ Those two counties often differ, and both belong on the document.

How the Notary Actually Signs

The signature must be handwritten in ink, directly on the paper certificate, and must match the name on the commission. A facsimile stamp, an electronic signature, or any other printed reproduction is not allowed on a paper document. The one exception is a notary with a disability, who may use a signature stamp showing their name, but only after receiving prior approval from the Secretary of State.²

Timing also matters. The notary cannot sign the certificate until the notarial act has been fully performed, meaning the signer has appeared, been identified, and either acknowledged the document or taken the oath.

What the Seal Must Show

South Carolina defines the notary seal as a device that stamps or embosses onto paper. The seal must contain three things and only these three are required by statute: the notary’s name, the words “Notary Public,” and the words “State of South Carolina.” An ink stamp or an embosser both qualify. The law does not specify a shape, so round, oval, and rectangular impressions are all acceptable.⁴

Including the commission expiration date inside the seal is optional, but the Secretary of State recommends affixing both a seal and an expiration date to every document.³ If the expiration is not built into the seal, write it separately.

Signature Block for an Acknowledgment

An acknowledgment confirms the signer voluntarily executed the document. The Secretary of State’s reference manual provides this template:

State of South Carolina
County of _______________

On this ____ day of ____________, 20____, before me personally appeared ____________________, who provided satisfactory evidence of identification to be the person whose name is subscribed to this instrument and acknowledged that [he/she] executed the foregoing instrument by [his/her] signature here.

____________________________________
Document Holder’s Signature

____________________________________
Official Signature of Notary
____________________, Notary Public
(Notary’s printed or typed name)
____________________ County, South Carolina
My commission expires: ____________________
(Official Seal)

Chapter 3 of Title 26, the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act, requires the certificate to contain the words “acknowledged before me” or the substantial equivalent.⁵

Signature Block for a Jurat

A jurat is used when the signer is swearing that the contents of the document are true. The notary watches the signature happen and administers the oath. The certificate is shorter:

State of South Carolina
County of _______________

Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this ____ day of ____________, 20____.

The language distinction between the two certificates is not cosmetic. “Sworn to and subscribed before me” belongs on a jurat; “acknowledged before me” belongs on an acknowledgment. Picking the wrong one can defeat the document’s legal purpose even when every other element is correct.

What Happens If You Get It Wrong

Section 26-1-160 makes several categories of notary misconduct a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both. Signing without the principal physically present, signing without verifying identity, signing after your commission has expired, and holding yourself out as a notary before taking the oath of office all fall inside this section.⁶

A conviction triggers automatic forfeiture of the commission, and the person is permanently barred from being commissioned again. The Secretary of State can also terminate a commission as soon as a notary is charged, without waiting for a conviction; the notary then has 30 days to request a hearing with the South Carolina Administrative Law Court. Anyone who pressures or coerces a notary into misconduct is subject to the same penalties as the notary.⁶

The takeaway on the signature block itself is narrower: hand-sign in ink exactly as your commission reads, print your name legibly, state when your commission expires, and place a compliant seal near the signature. Fill in the venue and the signer’s name in the certificate above. A block missing any of these pieces is one a recorder can reject.

1
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 26-1-120 – Notarial Certificate
2
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 26-1 – Notaries Public and Acknowledgments
3
South Carolina Secretary of State. South Carolina Notary Public Reference Manual
4
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 26-1-5 – Definitions
5
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 26-3 – Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act
6
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 26-1-160 – Unlawful Acts, Forfeiture of Commission, Penalties