AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NOTARIES

What All Notaries Should Know About Their Stamp or Seal.

These guidelines are general; some variations may apply depending on individual state requirements:

• Keep your notarial stamp or seal under your control at all times—do NOT allow unguarded access to your stamp or seal as this often results in unauthorized use.
• Your notary stamp or seal is yours to use and keep; your employer may not control or keep your stamp or seal even if the employer paid for it.
• You should report a lost or missing notary stamp and/or seal immediately to your state's notary authority (Secretary of State's Office, Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer depending on the state). 
• If your notary commission expires or you have a change of name, and you obtain a new stamp or seal, you should destroy or deface the old seal to prevent it being used fraudulently.  
• Your state notary laws will indicate whether a notary ink stamp or embossing seal is required in your state of commission, and what must appear on the stamp and/or seal. You may use the chart below for a quick reference; see your state statutes for complete information about your state's notary ink stamp or embossing seal requirements.

NOTARY PUBLIC STAMP AND SEAL REQUIREMENTS
NOTE: Shape, dimension and information requirements are NOT noted herein.
This chart is for quick-reference purposes only, and concerns only Notaries Public, not other notarial officers. Please consult your state statutes and any administrative rules for more detailed Notary stamp and seal requirements.

Alabama - Ink stamp or embossing seal required.

Alaska - Ink stamp or embossing seal required; ink stamp recommended by Lt. Gov. Seal image must be photographically reproducible. If using an embosser alone as the official seal, the embossment must be inked (seal impression inker). If using an embosser in conjunction with an ink stamp, do NOT ink the embossment.

Arizona - Ink stamp required, paper notarial acts. “Dark ink” specified. Embossing seal may be used ONLY in conjunction with the official ink stamp.

Arkansas - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible. Blue or black ink only.

California - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Colorado - Ink stamp required, paper notarial acts. Possession of an embossing seal is prohibited.

Connecticut - Not required, but state law prescribes the format if a seal is used by a Notary.

Delaware - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible; black ink specified.

District of Columbia - Embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Use of a seal impression inker in conjunction with the embossing seal is REQUIRED (to render seal impression photographically reproducible).

Florida - Ink stamp required, paper notarial acts. The Notary ink stamp may be either round or rectangular. An embossing seal may ONLY be used in conjunction with the official Notary ink stamp. Ink-stamp impression MUST be photographically reproducible.

Georgia - Ink stamp or embossing seal required.

Hawaii - Ink stamp required. (The option to use an embossing seal was repealed effective January 1, 2021.)

Idaho - Ink stamp required, paper notarial acts.

Illinois - Ink stamp required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible; black ink specified.

Indiana - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Iowa - “Official stamp” required, paper notarial acts; ink stamp or embossing seal. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Kansas - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Kentucky - Not required, but statutory and rule requirements regarding the seal ("official stamp") apply if a traditional Notary, electronic Notary or Online Notary elects to use a seal, including that the seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Louisiana - Not required. The State of Louisiana considers the Notary's signature to be the notarial seal.

Maine - Not required, but if used (ink stamp or embossing seal) the seal must display elements specified in statute.

Maryland - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Massachusetts - Ink stamp or embossing seal required, paper notarial acts. Black ink specified for stamp. Ink stamp and embossing seal may be used together to satisfy statutory requirements regarding information elements to be included in the official notarial seal.

Michigan - Not required. If electing to use an official seal, the seal image cannot render anything illegible and must be photographically reproducible. Embossing seal on a paper document allowed ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp.

Minnesota - Ink stamp required. Rectangular format mandated; seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Mississippi - Ink stamp required. Notary seal image must be legible and photographically reproducible.

Missouri - Official seal required. Ink stamp (recommended by American Society of Notaries) or embossing seal allowed. Seal image on notarized document must be "sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible" and satisfy all requirements specified in statutes and any administrative rules. If used as official seal, embossing seal impression must be inked–if not sharp/legible then required information must be typed or printed legibly nearby. Non-inked embossing seal impression may be used only in addition to ink stamp.

Montana - Ink stamp required. Blue or black ink specified. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Nebraska - Ink stamp required. Seal image must be “clear and legible.”

Nevada - Ink stamp required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible; indelible ink. Statutory reference to “mechanical stamp” includes an imprint made by a computer or other similar technology.

New Hampshire - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

New Jersey - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

New Mexico - Ink stamp or embossing seal required; permanent ink specified. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

New York - Not required.

North Carolina - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

North Dakota - Ink stamp required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible. Embossers are prohibited.

Ohio - Ink stamp or embossing seal required.

Oklahoma - Ink stamp or embossing seal required.

Oregon - “Official stamp” required. Seal image must be legible and photographically reproducible. Permanent ink specified; black or dark blue ink recommended. Embossing seal allowed ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp.

Pennsylvania - Ink stamp required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible. Embossing seal may be used ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp.

Rhode Island - Ink stamp required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

South Carolina - South Carolina Notaries must “have” a seal of office, but the law also allows for omission of the seal on a notarial certificate if the Notary’s official title (i.e. “Notary Public, South Carolina”; “South Carolina Notary Public”) is affixed below his/her/their signature. A Notary must also indicate his/her/their commission expiration date below the Notary’s signature on the notarial certificate. American Society of Notaries strongly encourages the use of an ink stamp, or embossing seal IF the embossed seal image is inked.

South Dakota - Ink stamp or embossing seal required.

Tennessee - Ink stamp required. Any ink color other than black or yellow; color must appear as black when photocopied on a non-color copier. Seal impression must be photographically reproducible.

Texas - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible; indelible ink specified.

Utah - Ink stamp required. Ink stamp must contain purple ink, seal image must be photographically reproducible. Embossing seal allowed ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp; embossment must NOT be inked.

Vermont - Ink stamp or embossing seal optional, ONLY IF Notary clearly prints or types his/her name and commission number on the notarial certificate. Any seal image must be photographically reproducible.

Virginia - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible.

Virgin Islands (U.S.) - Embossing seal required. Ink stamp may be used ONLY in conjunction with embossing seal.

Washington - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible; indelible (permanent) ink specified.

West Virginia - Ink stamp required. Embossing seal may be used only in conjunction with ink stamp.

Wisconsin - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Seal image must be photographically reproducible. Notary may utilize both ink stamp and embossing seal if both device imprints are on file with the Department of Financial Institutions, and the Notary’s name appears exactly the same on both devices.

Wyoming - Ink stamp or embossing seal required. Blue or black ink specified. Seal image must be photographically reproducible.

IMPORTANT: FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT NOTARY STAMP, EMBOSSER AND ELECTRONIC SEAL REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE CONSULT YOUR STATE STATUTES AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
Last Revision⎯June 2024