What must notaries do with their official seal after completing a notarization?

Notaries are required to place their official seal on a document along with their signature following the completion of a notarization. This process is crucial because the seal serves as a symbol of the notarization, confirming that the notary has witnessed the signing of the document and that the necessary verifications were completed per legal requirements. The seal adds authenticity and a layer of trust to the document, making it officially recognized.

Storing the seal in a safe place is an important practice to prevent misuse, but it is not the foremost action that follows a notarization. Similarly, the other responses regarding returning the seal to the government or limiting its use only to legal documents do not align with the standard procedures for notaries. Therefore, placing the seal on the document is the correct and necessary action to finalize the notarization process.