A common seal is a stamp (usually rubber), which can be arranged through a stationery shop. It represents the signature of the owners corporation and contains the owners corporation and plan of subdivision numbers allocated by Land Use Victoria as well as, if any, the name of the owners corporation.
All owners corporations must have a common seal. It is an important instrument of the owners corporation and its misuse can have serious financial and legal consequences.
The seal must be used on all documents that are created as the result of a resolution passed by the owners corporation; for example, contracts for services, making additional rules or the appointment of a manager.
Those resolutions must be recorded in the minutes of a general meeting. Each use of the common seal must also be witnessed by two lot owners, who sign the document, print their full name and address and state that they are members of the owners corporation.
Some owners corporations keep a common seal register to record the names of the witnesses, the date and the purpose for using the seal. A seal register is useful but not mandatory.