There shall be no difference hereafter, in this State, between sealed and unsealed writings. A writing under seal may therefore be changed, or altogether discharged by a writing not under seal.
§ 1932.Distinction between sealed and unsealed writings abolished
Title 2. Of the Kinds and Degrees of Evidence · Chapter 3. Writings · Article 3. Private Writings · Last amended 1873 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1932 abolishes any legal difference between sealed and unsealed writings in California, so a document created under seal can later be modified or entirely discharged by a writing that carries no seal at all.
Full Text of § 1932
Plain-English Summary
This section does the real work behind the classification Section 1929 sets up: it erases the practical consequence of that classification going forward. California no longer treats sealed and unsealed writings differently, so whatever formal weight a seal once carried under the common law doesn't survive here.
The clearest illustration is modification and discharge. A writing made under seal can be changed, or wiped out altogether, by a later writing that has no seal on it. The party doesn't need to match the original document's formality to undo or revise it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does California still distinguish between sealed and unsealed writings?
Not as a matter of legal effect. Section 1932 abolished the difference between them.
Can an unsealed writing change a document that was originally sealed?
Yes. Section 1932 lets an unsealed writing modify or discharge a writing that was made under seal.
Why does the law still define seals if the distinction is gone?
Because courts still need the definitions in Sections 1930 and 1931 to interpret older instruments and documents from other states where the distinction can still matter.
Amendment History
(Enacted in 1872. Amended Code Am.1873-74, c. 383, p. 386, § 229.)
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the West's Annotated California Codes / Thomson Reuters. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: sealed and unsealed writings same effectdischarging a sealed instrument without seal