What does it mean to affix a seal?

Affixing a seal refers specifically to the act of stamping or impressing the official notary seal onto a document. This is a crucial part of a notary's duties, as the seal serves to authenticate the notary's acts and to affirm that the notary has properly verified the identities of the signers and the legitimacy of the document. The presence of the seal provides assurance to the parties involved and third parties that the document has been executed in accordance with the law.

The other options do not accurately describe the function of a notary seal. Creating a digital version of a document is unrelated to the physical act of affixing a seal. Validating a document without a signature does not involve the act of impressing a seal, as signatures are integral to most notarizations. Lastly, encrypting a document for safety is a measure of digital security and does not pertain to the physical sealing process performed by a notary. Hence, the process of affixing a seal is specifically tied to the act of imprinting the notary's official mark on physical documents.