When must a notary destroy their official seal?

The requirement for a notary to destroy their official seal is related to the integrity and security of the notary's role. When a notary's commission is revoked, resigned, or if a renewal is denied, it indicates that the notary no longer has the authority to perform notarial acts. In such instances, it is crucial to destroy the official seal to prevent any potential misuse or unauthorized activities that could occur if someone tries to use a seal tied to a non-active commission. The destruction of the seal ensures that there is no possibility of the former notary improperly certifying documents or misrepresenting their authority.

In contrast, changing an address, deciding to discontinue services, or relocating to another state do not inherently affect the validity of the seal as long as the commission itself remains active. These situations may require updates to records or notifications to the relevant authorities, but they do not necessitate the destruction of the seal since the notary's authority might still be intact in those cases.