5.1 Notary Seal and Stamp Specifications

Notary Public Certification Exam

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1 Introduction: The Notary Public Profession

What Is a Notary Public? Becoming a Notary Public: Requirements Overview

2 Chapter 1: Notarial Acts — Fundamentals

1.1 Overview of Notarial Acts 1.2 Acknowledgments 1.3 Jurats (Verification on Oath or Affirmation) 1.4 Oaths and Affirmations

3 Chapter 2: Notarial Acts — Advanced Types

2.1 Copy Certifications 2.2 Signature Witnessing 2.3 Protests of Negotiable Instruments 2.4 Depositions and Affidavits

4 Chapter 3: Signer Identification & Verification

3.1 Satisfactory Evidence of Identity 3.2 Handling Name Discrepancies 3.3 Assessing Willingness and Awareness

5 Chapter 4: Journal Keeping & Record Requirements

4.1 Notary Journal Requirements 4.2 Electronic Journals 4.3 Record Retention and Disposal

6 Chapter 5: Notary Seal & Certificate Requirements

5.1 Notary Seal and Stamp Specifications 5.2 Notarial Certificates and Wording

7 Chapter 6: Prohibited Acts & Ethical Obligations

6.1 Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) 6.2 Conflicts of Interest and Impartiality 6.3 When and How to Refuse Notarizations

8 Chapter 7: Fees, Bonds & Insurance

7.1 Notary Fee Schedules 7.2 Surety Bonds 7.3 Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance

9 Chapter 8: Remote Online Notarization (RON)

8.1 RON Fundamentals and History 8.2 RON Identity Verification Methods 8.3 RON Procedures, Recording, and State Compliance

10 Chapter 9: Special Situations & Accommodations

9.1 Foreign Language Signers 9.2 Signers with Disabilities 9.3 Elderly Signers and Diminished Capacity 9.4 Power of Attorney and Representative Signers

11 Chapter 10: Notary Signing Agent (NSA) Specialty

10.1 What Is a Notary Signing Agent? 10.2 Key Loan Documents

12 Chapter 11: State Variations & Compliance

11.1 Key State Variations Overview 11.2 Apostilles and Authentication 11.3 Commission Changes, Renewal, and Revocation

13 Chapter 12: Liability, Penalties & Best Practices

12.1 Notary Liability and Legal Consequences 12.2 Notary Best Practices Checklist 12.3 Exam Preparation Strategies

5.1 Notary Seal and Stamp Specifications

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

The notary seal (or stamp) is the official mark that authenticates a notarial act and identifies the commissioned notary who performed it

Most states require an inked rubber stamp that is photographically reproducible; embossers alone are increasingly unacceptable because they do not show on copies

Required seal elements typically include the notary's name as commissioned, the words 'Notary Public,' the state, the commission number, and the commission expiration date

The seal must be applied at the time of the act, must not overlap signatures or printed text, and must never be pre-stamped on blank documents

A lost or stolen seal must be reported immediately to the commissioning authority; the seal is destroyed or rendered unusable when the commission ends

Last updated: June 2026

What the Seal Does

The notary seal (also called the notary stamp ) is the official mark that authenticates a notarial act and identifies the commissioned notary who performed it. On most recordable documents the seal carries the same legal weight as the notary's signature: the signature, the seal, and the notarial certificate must all be present and consistent. A certificate with a signature but no seal is invalid for recording or out-of-state use, and a seal with no signature is equally void.

The seal is evidence of authority , not a decoration. It tells a county recorder, a court, or a lender that on the date shown a properly commissioned officer of the state performed the act. Because of that evidentiary power, the seal is a controlled instrument: it belongs to the individual notary, never to an employer, and it may only be used by the notary whose name it bears.

Two Seal Formats

States authorize the seal in one of two physical forms, and many require the inked stamp specifically.

Inked Rubber Stamp

Produces a visible ink impression directly on the paper.

Available as self-inking or pre-inked models; ink color is set by state law (commonly black, dark blue, or dark purple).

Reproduces clearly when the document is photocopied, scanned, or faxed — the reason it is now the dominant required format.

Embosser (Raised Seal)

Presses a raised, inkless impression into the paper, creating a tactile mark.

Often does not show on photocopies or scans unless the copier light is angled, so most states no longer accept an embosser as the sole official seal.

Survives as a secondary security device — many notaries emboss after stamping to deter alteration.

Required Seal Elements

Requirements vary by jurisdiction, but the typical seal must show the following:

Element Detail
Notary's name Exactly as written on the commission
"Notary Public" The title of the office
State of commission The state that issued the commission
Commission number The notary's unique identifying number
Commission expiration date The date the commission ends
County / jurisdiction Required in some states
Sample Inked Stamp +---------------------------------+
| JANE M. SMITH |
| Notary Public |
| State of California |
| Commission # 1234567 |
| My Commission Expires 12/31/29 |
+---------------------------------+
Physical Specifications

Most states cap the seal's size and demand legibility so it reproduces on certified copies.

Specification Typical rule
Maximum size About 1.5 in tall by 2.5 in wide (rectangular) or 1.5 in diameter (round)
Ink color Black, dark blue, or dark purple per state law
Legibility Clear, unbroken impression with every element discernible
Reproducibility Must be photographically reproducible on a copy or scan
Placement Rules

A correct seal can still get a document rejected if it is placed wrong. The seal must not cover the signer's signature, the notary's signature, or any printed text on the page. An overlapping or smudged seal can cause a county recorder to refuse the document for recordation, forcing the parties to re-execute and re-notarize — a costly error the exam tests directly. Affix the seal in clear blank space near the certificate, and re-stamp on a loose certificate if there is no clean room.

Security Duties

Keep the seal under your exclusive, direct control at all times.

Never lend the seal — not to a coworker, supervisor, or even another notary.

Store it in a locked location when not in use.

Never pre-stamp blank documents or certificates.

Report loss or theft immediately to the commissioning authority.

Destroy or disable the seal when the commission expires, resigns, or is revoked.

Worked Scenario: The Borrowed Stamp

A bank teller is out sick and her manager grabs her self-inking stamp to notarize a customer's deed. Even though the manager is also a commissioned notary, using another notary's seal is a criminal misuse in nearly every state, and the resulting notarization is fraudulent because the seal names a notary who never appeared. The correct action is for the manager to use her own seal, signature, and journal , or to decline.

Lost or Stolen Seal — Order of Operations

Notify the commissioning authority (usually the Secretary of State) at once.

File a police report if theft is suspected.

Note the loss in your journal with the date and circumstances.

Obtain a replacement (often with a new commission number, depending on the state).

Watch for unauthorized notarizations performed with the missing seal.

Common trap: Waiting to report "in case it turns up" exposes the notary to liability for any fraud committed with the seal in the interim. Reporting comes first, replacement second.

Expiration, Renewal, and Electronic Seals

The seal is valid only while the commission is. When a commission expires, is resigned, or is revoked , the notary must stop using the seal and, in most states, destroy it or render it unusable so no one can perform a fraudulent act with it. A continuing-to-stamp-after-expiration scenario is a frequent exam item: an expired notary who keeps notarizing is acting without authority, and the acts are void. On renewal the notary often receives a new commission number and expiration date , which means ordering a fresh stamp rather than altering the old one — hand-editing a seal is never permitted.

Many states also authorize an electronic notary seal for electronic and remote online notarization. The electronic seal must contain the same required elements as the physical stamp (name, 'Notary Public,' state, commission number, expiration date) and must be attached to the electronic document so it is tamper-evident — any later change to the document invalidates the seal. The exam expects you to know the electronic seal is a digital equivalent, not a relaxation of the content rules.

Event Required action
Commission expires Stop stamping; destroy or disable the seal
Commission renewed Order new stamp matching the new number/date
Resignation or revocation Surrender authority; dispose of the seal per state law
Switch to e-notary Use an electronic seal with identical required elements