Notary Act of 2007 takes effect October 29, 2008
Secretary of American Samoa, Lt. Governor Faoa Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia has issued a notice to all vendors and manufacturers of notary seals for American Samoa, announcing that the Notary Act of 2007, Public Law 30-18, as amended by Public Law 30-21, will take effect on October 29, 2008.
Under the new law, no business or individual may manufacture or issue a notary seal for American Samoa without a permit granted by the Secretary of American Samoa.
A section of the Notary Act of 2007 requires every vendor or manufacturer of notary seals to apply to the Secretary for a permit, and a $50 processing fee is charged as part of the application.
Also included in the new law is a description of the seal image and the information which shall be contained therein. These include the notary name as indicated on the commission; the serial number of the commission; the words ‘Notary Public’ and ‘Territory of American Samoa,’ and ‘My commission expires’ (commission expiration date); the notary’s business address; and a border in a rectangular shape no larger than one inch by two inches, surrounding the required words.
Furthermore, the Notary Act of 2007 sets out the procedure and process by which each notary seal shall be issued. As required by law, the vendor or manufacturer of notary seals may verify the business mailing address of any notary in American Samoa by visiting http://www.americansamoa.gov and clicking on “Secretary of American Samoa.”
With the new regulations, the law provides penalties for failure to comply. A violation of the new procedures and requirements is a class B misdemeanor punishable by no more than 6 months in jail, and/or a fine of not more than $500.
More information can be obtained by visiting or contacting the Office of Secretary of American Samoa, which is housed in the Governor’s Office.
The Office of the Secretary is committed to working with all vendors and manufacturers of notary seals in order to assure a smooth transition under the Notary Act of 2007. Any questions or comments can be forwarded to Marcellus Talaimalo Uiagalelei or Jacinta Galea’i at 633-4116 during regular ASG business hours.
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