Can I register a ready-made certified seal as a bank seal or registered seal?

The registered seal, bank seal, and registered seal each have their own role, and there is a risk if you do not use them properly. Furthermore, since the same ready-made HANKO are available to everyone, they can easily be misused if they are used as bank seals or registered seals.
While touching on the roles of registered seals, bank seals, and registered seals, we will explain whether ready-made products can be registered as bank seals or registered seals.

What is a ready-made seal?

A ready-made seal is a ready-made seal that is sold for around 100 yen at seal shops, stationery stores, home centers, etc. Most of them are made of materials such as resin, and their advantage is that they can be easily made, rather than being durable or imprintable.

A personal seal is a HANKO that is used on a daily basis, and unlike a bank seal submitted to a bank or a registered seal registered at a government office, it does not need to be registered anywhere.
Because they are inexpensive, there are many cases where they are kept at different locations, such as for business and home use, or are used together with family seals.

A personal seal is a HANKO that is used frequently and is not used when exchanging important documents like a bank seal or a registered seal. Therefore, many people use ready-made HANKO.

Ready-made seals are HANKO that are mass-produced in factories. HANKO that can be obtained at 100 yen shops are considered ready-made products. If they have the same last name, they will have the same seal impression. Many of them are made of resin or plastic, so they are cheap, but there is also a high possibility that they will be damaged and the stamp surface will chip.

What is the difference between a ready-made certified seal, a registered seal, and a bank seal?

Unlike ready-made seals, registered seals and bank seals are best suited for custom-made HANKO to prevent duplication. Because the seals are custom-made, even if they have the same last name, the impressions will be different, making it possible to tell that they are different HANKO.

The role of bank seals

A bank seal is the HANKO you register when you open a bank account. If you have a bank stamp and passbook, you can close your account and transfer or withdraw large amounts of money. Bank stamps will also be stamped on application forms for credit cards and utility bills to be debited from your bank account.

Please take care of your bank stamps.

If your bank stamp or passbook is lost or stolen, there is a risk that your bank deposits may be withdrawn, your account may be canceled, or your account may be used as a debit account. Using a ready-made product as a bank seal is just as dangerous as having it stolen or copied.

Role of registered seal

A registered seal is a HANKO that is stamped on documents such as important transactions such as buying and selling land and real estate, financing such as loans, and contracts such as life insurance. Only when you create a registered HANKO and submit it to the government office does it become a registered seal and has legal effect.

Registered seals cannot be used together, even by family members, and are for personal use only. Also, it is not possible for one person to register multiple registered seals; only one can be registered. If you move and need to move your residence card, you will need to re-register your registered seal with the government office that has jurisdiction over your new residence.

Risk of registered seal

A registered seal is necessary for important transactions. Used when communicating content that involves great responsibility or risk.

When registering a HANKO at a government office, rubber stamps with a deformable surface or HANKO made of materials that are prone to chipping will not be registered and will be refused. Therefore, ready-made Shachihata seals or HANKO made of cheap materials cannot be registered as registered seals.

However, there are also ready-made HANKO made of wood, which can be registered as registered seals, so there is a possibility that people may register ready-made products as registered seals without knowing the risks.

Only one registered seal must be made as an original HANKO, and it must be made in a font that is difficult to read to prevent it from being duplicated, and must be stored with care. If you use a ready-made HANKO as a registered seal, it may be easier to impersonate than if you purchase the same one.

Registration of registered seals on ready-made products is not recommended.

If you register a ready-made HANKO, consider whether there are any risks.
Mass-produced ready-made products have the same seal imprint, so if someone else finds out that you are using it as a registered seal, they can easily obtain the same HANKO and misuse it.

For example, being made a guarantor for a loan contract, having the purchase and sale procedures for real estate or land performed without your permission, etc. Considering these risks, it is not recommended to use ready-made products as registered seals, as it is extremely dangerous.

Other dangerous use cases

Even if you are aware of the importance of registered seals and bank seals, there are some dangerous acts you may be doing without realizing it. Check to make sure you and your family are okay.

・I usually use a registered seal or bank seal as a registered seal.

Stop now because you risk being copied and exploited. It is possible to duplicate a HANKO from the stamped impression. If you use a registered seal or a bank seal, you should only affix it when communicating with a limited number of trusted parties, such as contract partners or bank employees. If you stamp something that is frequently used, there is a high possibility that it will be seen by a third party, and you never know who might misuse it.

・The registered registered seal or bank seal may have been a ready-made product.

If you purchase something displayed on a shelf, it is a ready-made product. Create a special HANKO and register it at the bank or government office again.

・Originally ordered HANKO are used as bank seals and registered seals.

Avoid using a bank seal and a registered seal together.

It is actually possible to use a registered seal and a bank seal together. Custom-ordered HANKO are expensive to create, so you can save money by using them together. Also, for those who manage the system, they may feel safe and convenient because they only need to manage one file. However, there are risks to using both a registered seal and a bank seal.

If you take HANKO with you to complete bank procedures or conclude a contract, and you lose it, the risk of using it will increase. By creating a special HANKO for each role, you can spread the risk even if you lose it.

summary

Ready-made HANKO are inexpensive and easy to obtain, making them very convenient to use as authentication seals. However, registering them as registered seals or bank seals is very dangerous, so it is important to use them properly and store them carefully.

In the worst case scenario, you may have to withdraw all your savings or have to take over the debt. Take this opportunity to check whether your bank seal or registered seal is a ready-made seal, and if you are concerned, create an original HANKO and register it again.