Notary seal requirements are set by the state that issued your commission, and they govern what information the seal shows, what kind of device you use, how it looks on the page, and how you store and dispose of it. Every state except a handful requires some form of seal or stamp on notarized paperwork, and getting the details wrong can get a document rejected by a recording office or challenged in court.
What Information Your Seal Must Show
Three elements are universal across states that require a seal: your full legal name exactly as it appears on your commission certificate, the words “Notary Public,” and the name of the commissioning state. Beyond those basics, states add their own identifiers.
- Commission expiration date, required in many states so a reader can confirm your authority was current when you performed the act.
- Commission number, a unique identifier assigned by the commissioning agency and required in a significant number of states.
- County of commission. Georgia, for example, requires the county of appointment on the seal.
These elements exist so a third party can independently verify your credentials. If any required element is missing, recording offices and financial institutions will often refuse the document, and the fix usually means re-notarizing with a compliant seal.
Ink Stamp or Embosser
People use “seal” and “stamp” interchangeably, but they refer to different physical devices, and your state may require one and prohibit the other.
An ink stamp is a rubber or self-inking device that leaves a flat ink impression. It is the most common type today because the impression is clear and reproduces well on photocopies and scans. A standard self-inking stamp runs roughly $20 to $45.
An embosser is a metal or heavy-duty tool that crimps the paper to create a raised, three-dimensional impression. Embossers are harder to forge because the physical deformation of the paper is difficult to replicate, and they generally cost $30 to $90. The drawback is that the raised impression often does not show up on photocopies or scans.
Most states now require that whatever device you use produces an image that is legible on a photocopy. Colorado prohibits embossers entirely. Arizona and Florida allow embossers only when used alongside an ink stamp. The District of Columbia requires both an embosser and an ink overlay. If your state permits a standalone embosser but still requires a photographically reproducible impression, you will need a seal impression inker to darken the raised marks.
Shape, Size, Border, and Ink
Circular seals are traditional and still the most common, with typical maximum dimensions of two inches in diameter. Rectangular stamps are also widely permitted, usually capped at around one inch tall by two and a half inches wide. A few states prescribe one shape exclusively, so check your commissioning state before you order.
A serrated or milled edge border is required in many states to make the seal’s boundary visually distinct from other markings on the page. For ink, black is the most common requirement, with some states also accepting blue. Arkansas limits the choice to black or blue; Delaware and Illinois specify black only. If your state is silent on color, black reproduces most reliably on photocopies and scans.
How to Apply the Seal Correctly
The seal goes near your signature on the notarial certificate, not on the main text of the document. Some certificates include the abbreviation “L.S.” (short for the Latin phrase meaning “place of the seal”), which marks where to stamp. If that marking is present, place your seal near it rather than over it.
Every letter and number must be clearly visible. Do not stamp over printed text, signatures, or other markings. Apply even pressure across the entire stamp face. Before stamping an actual document, do a test impression on scrap paper to check the ink distribution and pressure, then destroy the test.
Fixing a Bad Impression
If your impression comes out smudged, light, or uneven, the preferred fix is to stamp a second, clean impression near the first without covering or overlapping it. Turn the stamp sideways if space is tight, but avoid placing impressions in the margins of documents headed to a county recorder. If there is truly no room, attach a separate notarial certificate with a proper seal and cross out the original notarial wording with a note directing the reader to the attachment.
Never try to touch up a bad impression with a pen or scratch out a smudged image. Any manual alteration looks like tampering and will likely get the document rejected.
Ordering a Seal That Matches Your Commission
You can order a seal only after you have received your commission. When you place the order, check every character against your commission certificate: middle names or initials, suffixes, and the exact spelling of your name. A single wrong letter means the seal does not match your commission, and any notarization performed with a mismatched seal can be challenged. Most vendors will ask to see your commission paperwork before producing the seal.
Some states also regulate manufacturers. In California, seal manufacturers must hold a permit from the Secretary of State.
Electronic Seals for Online Notarization
If you perform remote online notarizations, where you connect with the signer by audio-video technology instead of meeting in person, you will use an electronic seal rather than a physical device. As of 2025, 44 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws permitting remote online notarization.
An electronic seal, or eSeal, is a digital image file (typically a JPEG, PNG, or PDF graphic) that visually resembles a traditional physical seal and contains the same identifying information: your name, “Notary Public,” the state of commission, and any other elements your state requires. The visual image sits on top of a digital certificate built on Public Key Infrastructure technology, which is tamper-evident so any alteration after notarization is flagged. The electronic signature and certificate must be logically attached to the document in a way that reveals evidence of changes. Technical requirements still vary by state, so check your commissioning state’s rules for approved platforms and certificate providers.
Keeping Your Seal Secure
Your seal carries legal authority. If someone else gets hold of it, they can forge notarizations, and you will be the one explaining why your seal appears on a document you did not notarize.
When you are not actively using the seal, keep it in a locked drawer, safe, or other secured location. This applies even if your state does not explicitly mandate locked storage; commissioning authorities treat it as standard practice. Never lend your seal to anyone, including coworkers or family members. No one other than the commissioned notary is authorized to use it.
If you are a mobile notary, do not leave your seal visible in your car. Keep your seal, journal, and supplies in the trunk or take them with you.
If Your Seal Is Lost or Stolen
Act fast. The longer an unaccounted-for seal is out there, the greater the risk of fraudulent use and the harder it becomes to defend yourself. Two immediate steps apply in most states.
- File a police report as soon as you discover the seal is missing, whether you believe it was stolen or simply lost. Keep a copy. If the seal later surfaces on a fraudulent document, the report establishes that you reported it missing before the fraud occurred, which is your strongest protection against liability.
- Notify your commissioning authority. Many states require written notification and have specific deadlines. Nevada requires you to file for a replacement within 10 days. California requires immediate notification by certified or registered mail, including your commission number, expiration date, and a copy of the police report. Texas has an online portal for reporting lost notary tools.
Order a replacement as soon as your state’s process allows, and do not perform any notarizations until the compliant replacement is in hand. Some states, including Washington, require the replacement to differ from the original in some visible way, such as a different border style.
When You Need a Replacement
Several routine events trigger the need for a new seal.
- Commission renewal. Your new commission will have updated dates and possibly a new commission number, and the seal must match the current commission.
- Legal name change through marriage, divorce, or court order. You must update your seal to reflect the name on your amended commission. Most states give you a window, commonly 30 to 60 days after filing the change with your commissioning authority, to obtain the new seal. During that window, you typically continue using the old seal until the new one arrives.
- Damage or wear. If the rubber has worn down or the embosser plates are misaligned and the impression is illegible, replace it. An unreadable seal is functionally no seal.
- Loss or theft, following the reporting steps above.
Destroying an Expired or Retired Seal
When your commission expires, you resign, or you replace an old seal, you must render the old device permanently unusable. Leaving it intact in a drawer or throwing it in the trash is not acceptable. State laws generally require the device to be destroyed, defaced, or secured against future use. If a notary dies or becomes incapacitated, the personal representative has the same obligation.
For a rubber ink stamp, cut through the rubber face with a utility knife until it can no longer produce a legible impression. For a metal embosser, remove the plate and strike it with a hammer until the engraved information is illegible. If the plate is plastic, break it apart. A few drops of super glue applied between the embosser plates will also permanently disable the device. Wear gloves and eye protection, since small fragments can break off unpredictably.