---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 302"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "302"
heading: "Seal"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/302"
units:
  - "Part I — General Provisions"
  - "Chapter 3 — Department of Veterans Affairs"
---

# §302. Seal

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) of [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) Affairs shall cause a seal of office to be made for the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) 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](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), when authenticated by the seal and certified by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) (or by an officer or employee of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) to whom authority has been delegated in writing by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)), shall be evidence equal with the original thereof.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 102–83, § 2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 379.)

## Notes

### 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).