A working notary needs a short, specific notary supplies list: an official seal or stamp, a bound or electronic journal, a surety bond, a set of loose notarial certificates and small supporting items, and, if you plan to notarize over video, a remote online notarization platform with a digital signing certificate and the right hardware. Errors and omissions insurance is optional in most states but worth adding. Exact specifications vary by state, so cross-check every item against your Secretary of State’s requirements before you order.
Notary Seal or Stamp
The seal is the single most important tool you own. It marks every document you notarize as officially authenticated, and a missing or non-compliant seal can get a document rejected on the spot.
States differ on the format. Some require an inked rubber stamp, some require a metal embosser that leaves a raised impression, and some require both. Where a rubber stamp is mandated, it usually has to produce a photographically reproducible image in black ink so the seal shows up clearly on copies and scans.
Regardless of format, virtually every state requires the seal to include your name exactly as it appears on your commission, the words “Notary Public,” your state’s name, and your commission expiration date. Many states also require your commission number and the county where you filed. The seal must match these specifications precisely; even a small discrepancy can invalidate notarized documents. Some states keep lists of approved manufacturers, and in those states you’ll typically need to send a copy of your commission certificate before the vendor will produce your stamp.
Expect to pay roughly $10 to $50 for a standard stamp or embosser. If your state requires both, budget for both. Order as soon as your commission is approved; manufacturing and shipping can take a week or more.
Notary Journal
A journal is a chronological logbook where you record every notarization you perform. Around 21 states explicitly require one for traditional in-person notarizations, but even where the law doesn’t mandate it, keeping a journal is the best thing you can do to protect yourself. If someone later challenges a notarization or accuses you of misconduct, the journal is your primary evidence that you followed proper procedure.
A typical entry captures the date and time the signer appeared, the type of notarization performed (acknowledgment, jurat, oath, or other act), the signer’s name and address as presented, the identification method (passport, state-issued license, and so on), a brief description of the document, and the signer’s signature taken in the journal at the time of the act.
One wrinkle catches new notaries off guard: a few states actually prohibit recording certain ID details like driver’s license numbers or Social Security numbers in your journal, specifically to protect signer privacy. Check your state’s rules before you start filling in entries, because what’s required in one state can be a violation in another.
Complete each entry at the time of the notarization, not later from memory. Journals come in bound physical books or as approved electronic formats. If you go with a physical journal, choose one with sequentially numbered pages so it’s obvious if a page is ever removed. States that have adopted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts generally require you to retain your journal for at least ten years after the last act recorded in it, and many other states impose similar retention periods.
Electronic Journals
If your state permits or requires an electronic journal, the software must meet security standards that prevent tampering. At minimum, expect your state to require password protection or encryption, a tamper-evident audit trail that logs every entry and edit, and regular backups stored securely against unauthorized access. The electronic format must produce the same information as a paper journal, and most states require you to be able to print entries on demand if requested by a court or regulatory authority.
Surety Bond
Almost every state requires a surety bond before you can start notarizing. The bond protects members of the public who suffer financial harm because of your mistakes or misconduct. It does not protect you. If someone files a valid claim against your bond, the bonding company pays the claimant and then comes after you for reimbursement.
Required amounts vary widely, from as low as $500 in some states to as high as $25,000 in others. The premium you actually pay is a small fraction of the bond amount. Most notaries pay between $25 and $100 for a bond that covers an entire commission term, which typically runs four to ten years depending on the state. You’ll file proof of your bond with your county clerk or Secretary of State as part of your commission activation paperwork. Letting the bond lapse can suspend your commission, so take the filing deadline seriously.
Errors and Omissions Insurance
A surety bond and errors and omissions (E&O) insurance are not the same thing, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes new notaries make. The bond protects the public from you. E&O insurance protects you from the financial fallout of honest mistakes, covering legal fees, court costs, and settlements if a client claims you botched a notarization.
E&O coverage is mandatory in a handful of states and optional everywhere else, but it’s worth carrying regardless. A single lawsuit can cost far more than a career’s worth of premiums. Annual premiums typically fall in these ranges:
- $10,000 in coverage: roughly $30 to $50 per year
- $25,000 in coverage: roughly $50 to $90 per year
- $50,000 in coverage: roughly $100 to $150 per year
- $100,000 or more: roughly $150 to $250 or more per year
Notaries who handle real estate closings or loan signings should consider higher coverage limits, since the documents involved carry higher financial stakes and correspondingly higher liability exposure.
Certificates and Smaller Supplies
Several smaller items round out a working kit.
Loose acknowledgment and jurat certificates matter because many documents arrive without the proper notarial wording already printed on them. Loose certificates are pre-printed forms you attach to the document and fill in with the relevant details. Keep a supply of both types so you’re ready for either kind of notarization.
An ink pad is essential if you use an embosser rather than a rubber stamp. The raised impression from an embosser can be invisible on photocopies, and an ink pad lets you ink the embosser or apply a dark background so the seal reproduces clearly when scanned or copied.
A thumbprint pad is required by some states for certain transactions, particularly real estate documents and powers of attorney. Even where not required, it adds a layer of fraud deterrence that’s worth the few dollars it costs.
An ID reference guide helps you spot forged identification. Guides that show the security features of driver’s licenses, passports, and other common IDs are inexpensive, and some notaries also carry a small ultraviolet penlight to reveal the hidden UV features embedded in most government-issued IDs.
A complete starter kit with stamp, journal, certificates, ink pad, and a carrying bag typically runs between $40 and $140 depending on the quality and vendor. Your state’s Secretary of State website or a national notary supply vendor can point you toward packages that include everything your jurisdiction requires.
Remote Online Notarization Add-Ons
As of early 2025, more than 45 states and the District of Columbia have enacted permanent laws authorizing remote online notarization (RON), where the signer appears via live video rather than in person. Performing RON requires a specialized technology stack on top of your traditional supplies.
Platform and Software
You’ll need to use a state-approved RON platform that handles the video session, identity verification, and document signing in a single secure environment. These platforms typically run credential analysis (verifying the signer’s government-issued ID against security databases) and knowledge-based authentication, where the signer answers computer-generated questions drawn from their personal history and financial records. Some states specify that the signer must correctly answer at least four out of five questions within a set time limit, with a limited number of retakes allowed.
Platform pricing varies. Some charge per notarization, others charge a monthly fee, and some are free if you work through a partnered signing service. Factor this ongoing cost into your budget before investing in RON.
Digital Signing Certificate
Instead of pressing a rubber stamp onto paper, RON transactions require an identity-based digital signing certificate that cryptographically seals each notarized document. Most platforms use X.509 certificates, which embed your identity information into the digital signature and make it immediately obvious if anyone alters the document after you’ve signed it. Your RON platform may provide this certificate as part of its service, or you may need to purchase one separately from an approved certificate authority.
Hardware and Connection
Hardware requirements are straightforward but non-negotiable: a high-definition webcam that clearly shows the signer’s face and ID, a quality microphone that captures clear audio, and a stable broadband internet connection. Most states require the entire session to be recorded as an audio-visual file and stored securely for a specified number of years, so dropouts or poor video quality can force you to abort a session. A wired ethernet connection is far more reliable than Wi-Fi for this purpose.
Keeping Your Supplies Secure
Your seal and journal are controlled items that no one else should ever use. Several states explicitly require you to store them in a locked container accessible only to you, but even in states without a specific storage law, treating your tools as controlled property is the right default. If someone else gets hold of your seal and uses it to notarize a fraudulent document, you’re the one facing investigation.
Lock the seal and journal up when they’re not in use. A safe, lockbox, or locked desk drawer works. If you’re a mobile notary, never leave either item visible in your car. Don’t lend your seal to anyone, not your employer, not a coworker, not a family member. Even if your employer paid for the seal and your commission, the seal is your personal responsibility in most states. The journal deserves equal protection; it contains signers’ personal information, which makes it a privacy liability as well as a fraud risk.
If Your Seal or Journal Goes Missing
Discovering that your seal or journal is lost or stolen calls for immediate action. Most states with reporting requirements expect you to notify your Secretary of State and local law enforcement as soon as you discover the loss. A few states set specific deadlines (Arizona, for example, gives notaries 10 days and imposes a $1,000 civil penalty for missing that window), but treating “immediately” as your default timeline is the safest approach regardless of where you’re commissioned.
File a police report if theft is suspected and keep a copy. Notify your state’s notary-regulating agency in writing, by certified mail or through any online portal your state provides, and include your commission number, commission expiration date, and a copy of the police report if applicable. Request a replacement seal authorization; you generally cannot just order a new seal on your own, because you’ll need a duplicate certificate of authorization or equivalent document from your state before a manufacturer will produce a replacement. Do not perform any notarizations until a valid replacement is in hand.
Disposing of Supplies When Your Commission Ends
When your commission expires, you resign, or your commission is revoked, your seal becomes a fraud risk if it’s still functional. Never toss an old seal in the trash intact. Some states require you to surrender the seal to your Secretary of State, while others require you to destroy or deface it yourself. A few states mandate surrender within a set window; North Carolina, for instance, requires delivery to the Secretary within 45 days.
If your state leaves destruction to you, cut the rubber impression surface of a stamp with a knife so it no longer produces a legible image. For an embosser, remove the metal plate and strike it with a hammer until the embossed information is unreadable, or use pliers to bend the plates out of alignment.
Your journal is different. Most states require you to retain it for years after your commission ends, often a decade or more. If you’re not renewing, inform your Secretary of State where the journal will be stored. Upon a notary’s death or incapacity, the responsibility to preserve and report the journal’s location falls to the notary’s personal representative or anyone knowingly in possession of it.