Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 3 - Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts
Section 315 - Certificate of notarial act

(a) Requirements.--
(1) A notarial act shall be evidenced by a certificate.
(2) Regardless of whether the notarial officer is a notary public, the certificate must:
(i) be executed contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act;
(ii) be signed and dated by the notarial officer;
(iii) identify the county and State in which the notarial act is performed; and
(iv) contain the title of office of the notarial officer.
(3) If the notarial officer is a notary public, all of the following subparagraphs apply:
(i) The notary public must:
(A) sign the notary public's name exactly and only as it appears on the commission; or
(B) execute the notary public's electronic signature in a manner which attributes the signature to the notary public identified in the commission.
(ii) The certificate must indicate the date of expiration of the notarial officer's commission.
(b) Official stamp.--
(1) If a notarial act regarding a tangible record is performed by a notary public, an official stamp shall be affixed to the certificate near the notary public's signature in a form capable of photographic reproduction.
(2) If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record by a notarial officer other than a notary public and the certificate contains the information specified in subsection (a)(2)(ii), (iii) and (iv), an official stamp may be affixed to the certificate.
(3) If a notarial act regarding an electronic record is performed by a notary public and the certificate contains the information specified in subsection (a)(2)(ii), (iii) and (iv) and (3), an official stamp may be attached to or logically associated with the certificate.
(4) If a notarial act regarding an electronic record is performed by a notarial officer other than a notary public and the certificate contains the information specified in subsection (a)(2)(ii), (iii) and (iv), an official stamp may be attached to or logically associated with the certificate.
(c) Sufficiency.--A certificate of a notarial act is sufficient if it meets the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) and:
(1) is in a short form set forth in section 316 (relating to short form certificates);
(2) is in a form otherwise permitted by a statutory provision;
(3) is in a form permitted by the law applicable in the jurisdiction in which the notarial act was performed; or
(4) sets forth the actions of the notarial officer and the actions are sufficient to meet the requirements of the notarial act as provided in:
(i) sections 305 (relating to requirements for certain notarial acts), 306 (relating to personal appearance required) and 307 (relating to identification of individual); or
(ii) a statutory provision other than this chapter.
(d) Effect.--By executing a certificate of a notarial act, a notarial officer certifies that the notarial officer has complied with the requirements and made the determinations specified in sections 304 (relating to authority to perform notarial act), 305 and 306.
(e) Prohibition.--A notarial officer may not affix the notarial officer's signature to or logically associate it with a certificate until the notarial act has been performed.
(f) Process.--
(1) If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record, a certificate shall be part of or securely attached to the record.
(2) If a notarial act is performed regarding an electronic record, the certificate shall be affixed to or logically associated with the electronic record.
(3) If the department has established standards under section 327 (relating to regulations) for attaching, affixing or logically associating the certificate, the process must conform to the standards.

Cross References. Section 315 is referred to in sections 306.1, 316 of this title; section 5731 of Title 35 (Health and Safety).