{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/55.1-648.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/55.1-648.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/55.1-648.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/55.1-648.html"}],"law_id":369993,"edition_id":2,"section_id":369993,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-648","catch_line":"Recordation certificate not signed by clerk; when clerk has died","history":"1942, p. 391; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 3407a1; Code 1950, \u00a7 55-137.2; 1976, c. 685; 1984, c. 35; 1989, c. 602; 1995, c. 48; 2019, c. 712.","full_text":"Any deed or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper deed book in the clerk’s office of the circuit court of any county or any court of record of any city, when the clerk of such court failed to sign the certificate of recordation thereof and afterwards died, and any will or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper will book in any such clerk’s office, when such clerk failed to sign the certificate of probate and recordation thereof and afterwards died, shall be as valid and of the same force and effect as if such certificate of recordation or certificate of probate and recordation had been signed by such clerk at the time such deed, will, or other instrument or writing was so recorded.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1380339,"text":"Any deed or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper deed book in the clerk’s office of the circuit court of any county or any court of record of any city, when the clerk of such court failed to sign the certificate of recordation thereof and afterwards died, and any will or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper will book in any such clerk’s office, when such clerk failed to sign the certificate of probate and recordation thereof and afterwards died, shall be as valid and of the same force and effect as if such certificate of recordation or certificate of probate and recordation had been signed by such clerk at the time such deed, will, or other instrument or writing was so recorded.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52695,"edition_id":2,"name":"Validating Certain Acts, Deeds, and Acknowledgments","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":5,"parent_id":52690,"metadata":{"child_laws":22,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:23","permalink":{"id":1472579,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52695,"identifier":"5","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5","url":"\/55.1\/II\/6\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52690,"edition_id":2,"name":"Recordation of Documents","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52604,"metadata":{"child_laws":67,"child_structures":8},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:14","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:23","permalink":{"id":1472461,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52690,"identifier":"6","token":"55.1\/II\/6","url":"\/55.1\/II\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52604,"edition_id":2,"name":"Real Estate Settlements and Recordation","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":52600,"metadata":{"child_laws":121,"child_structures":14},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:22","permalink":{"id":1472371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52604,"identifier":"II","token":"55.1\/II","url":"\/55.1\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52600,"edition_id":2,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":120,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":875,"child_structures":101},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:20","permalink":{"id":1471771,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52600,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":369972,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-627","catch_line":"Acts of notaries public, etc., who have held certain other offices","url":"\/55.1-627\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-627","metadata":false},{"id":369973,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-628","catch_line":"Validation of acknowledgments when seal not affixed","url":"\/55.1-628\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-628","metadata":false},{"id":369974,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-629","catch_line":"Acknowledgment taken by trustee in deed of trust","url":"\/55.1-629\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-629","metadata":false},{"id":369975,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-630","catch_line":"Acknowledgment taken by trustee in deed of trust; later date","url":"\/55.1-630\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-630","metadata":false},{"id":369976,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-631","catch_line":"Certain acknowledgments taken and certified before July 1, 1995","url":"\/55.1-631\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-631","metadata":false},{"id":369977,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-632","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken by certain justices of the peace, mayors, etc","url":"\/55.1-632\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-632","metadata":false},{"id":369978,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-633","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken by officers after expiration of terms","url":"\/55.1-633\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-633","metadata":false},{"id":369979,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-634","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken by notaries in service during World War I","url":"\/55.1-634\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-634","metadata":false},{"id":369980,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-635","catch_line":"Acknowledgments before foreign officials who failed to affix seals","url":"\/55.1-635\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-635","metadata":false},{"id":369981,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-636","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken by notaries in foreign countries","url":"\/55.1-636\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-636","metadata":false},{"id":369982,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-637","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken by officer who was spouse of grantee","url":"\/55.1-637\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-637","metadata":false},{"id":369983,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-638","catch_line":"Acknowledgment when notary certifies erroneously as to expiration of commission","url":"\/55.1-638\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-638","metadata":false},{"id":369984,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-639","catch_line":"Acknowledgments before officer of city or county consolidating, etc., prior to expiration date of commission","url":"\/55.1-639\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-639","metadata":false},{"id":369985,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-640","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken before notary whose commission has expired","url":"\/55.1-640\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-640","metadata":false},{"id":369986,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-641","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken before notary whose commission has expired; later date; intervening vested rights saved","url":"\/55.1-641\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-641","metadata":false},{"id":369987,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-642","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken before notary who was appointed but failed to qualify; vested rights saved","url":"\/55.1-642\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-642","metadata":false},{"id":369988,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-643","catch_line":"Acknowledgments taken before a notary at large who failed to cite the jurisdiction in which the acknowledgment was taken; vested rights saved","url":"\/55.1-643\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-643","metadata":false},{"id":369989,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-644","catch_line":"Deeds defectively executed by corporation","url":"\/55.1-644\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-644","metadata":false},{"id":369990,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-645","catch_line":"Deeds to which corporate seal not affixed or not attested","url":"\/55.1-645\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-645","metadata":false},{"id":369991,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-646","catch_line":"Acknowledgments of corporations taken by officers or stockholders","url":"\/55.1-646\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-646","metadata":false},{"id":369992,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-647","catch_line":"Recordation certificate not signed by clerk","url":"\/55.1-647\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-647","metadata":false},{"id":369993,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-648","catch_line":"Recordation certificate not signed by clerk; when clerk has died","url":"\/55.1-648\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-648","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":369992,"structure_id":52695,"section_number":"55.1-647","catch_line":"Recordation certificate not signed by clerk","url":"\/55.1-647\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-647","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-648\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1976, chapter 685; in 1984, chapter 35; in 1989, chapter 602; in 1995, chapter 48<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 712<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1472665,"object_type":"law","relational_id":369993,"identifier":"55.1-648","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-648","url":"\/55.1-648\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-648\/","token":"55.1\/II\/6\/5\/55.1-648","dublin_core":{"Title":"Recordation certificate not signed by clerk; when clerk has died","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-648","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any deed or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper deed book in the clerk’s office of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of any county or any court<\/span> of record of any city, when the clerk of such court<\/span> failed to sign the certificate of recordation thereof and afterwards died, and any will or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper will book in any such clerk’s office, when such clerk failed to sign the certificate of probate and recordation thereof and afterwards died, shall be as valid and of the same force and effect as if such certificate of recordation or certificate of probate and recordation had been signed by such clerk at the time such deed, will, or other instrument or writing was so recorded.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRECORDATION CERTIFICATE NOT SIGNED BY CLERK; WHEN CLERK HAS DIED (\u00a7 55.1-648)\n\nAny deed or other instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the\nproper deed book in the clerk’s office of the circuit court of any county\nor any court of record of any city, when the clerk of such court failed to sign\nthe certificate of recordation thereof and afterwards died, and any will or\nother instrument or writing recorded before July 1, 1995, upon the proper will\nbook in any such clerk’s office, when such clerk failed to sign the\ncertificate of probate and recordation thereof and afterwards died, shall be as\nvalid and of the same force and effect as if such certificate of recordation or\ncertificate of probate and recordation had been signed by such clerk at the time\nsuch deed, will, or other instrument or writing was so recorded.\n\nHISTORY: 1942, p. 391; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 3407a1; Code 1950, \u00a7 55-137.2;\n1976, c. 685; 1984, c. 35; 1989, c. 602; 1995, c. 48; 2019, c. 712.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}