Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102
§302 Seal
Title 38 › PART I — GENERAL PROVISIONS › CHAPTER 3 — DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS › § 302
Summary
The Secretary must make a Department seal that the President approves, and courts must accept that seal as official. Public VA records with that seal and certified by the Secretary or someone the Secretary authorized in writing are valid as originals.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §302
Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall cause a seal of office to be made for the Department of such device as the President shall approve. Judicial notice shall be taken of the seal.
(b)Copies of any public document, record, or paper belonging to or in the files of the Department, when authenticated by the seal and certified by the Secretary (or by an officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has been delegated in writing by the Secretary), shall be evidence equal with the original thereof.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
Prior section 302 was renumbered section 1102 of this title. Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 202 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, § 2(a).
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 302
Title 38, Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102