Which item identifies a notary's official status on the seal?

• A. Notary's name
• B. Commission number
• C. Expiration date
• D. County

Answer: (B)

A seal's purpose is to prove the notary has authority to act. The element on the seal that shows that official status is the commission number—the unique identifier the state assigns to a commissioned notary. The name identifies who the notary is, but it doesn’t by itself prove official status. The expiration date relates to how long the commission is valid and is typically found on the commission certificate, not the seal, and the county is there for jurisdictional reference, not to prove status. So the commission number is what confirms the notary’s official capacity on the seal.