A West Virginia notary must use an official stamp showing six items: your name, an address and your commission expiration date, along with the phrases Official Seal, Notary Public and State of West Virginia. The impression sits inside a bordered rectangle no taller than 1 inch and no wider than 2.5 inches. Ink color is your call. This page covers wording, size, embossers, commission terms and required notices.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against W. Va. Code § 39-4-17(1) and The West Virginia Secretary of State. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official stamp | Every West Virginia notary uses one. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Fixed phrases | Three appear on every stamp: Official Seal, Notary Public and State of West Virginia. | W. Va. Code § 39-4-17(1) |
| Personal lines | Your name and the date your commission expires. | W. Va. Code § 39-4-17(1) |
| Address line | Required, and a business or affiliation address can take the place of your home address. | W. Va. Code § 39-4-17(1) |
| Outline and maximum size | Rectangular with a border, capped at 1 inch tall and 2.5 inches wide. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Ink | Any color. The state says in plain terms that color is optional. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Embossing seal | Allowed as an extra, never in place of the stamp. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Term and fee | Five years per commission and a $52 filing fee. Continuing means applying again, not filing a separate renewal. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Change of name or address | Notice to the Secretary of State within 30 days, as set by statute. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Missing device | Report a lost or stolen stamp to the Secretary of State promptly after you find out. | The West Virginia Secretary of State |
To compare West Virginia with every other jurisdiction, see our table of notary seal requirements by state.
What wording goes on a West Virginia notary stamp?
Six items, all listed in W. Va. Code § 39-4-17(1). Three are fixed phrases: Official Seal, Notary Public and State of West Virginia. Three belong to you: your name, an address and your commission expiration date.
The three phrases read the same on every West Virginia notary stamp. The personal lines are where a proof needs a careful read, because the address can change during a commission and the expiration date changes with every new term. Our rundown of common West Virginia stamp mistakes covers the slips people make most.
What size and shape must the stamp be?
A rectangle with a border around it, no more than 1 inch tall and 2.5 inches wide. The border is mandatory. The two dimensions are upper limits on the impression, not one fixed size that every stamp has to hit.
Six items inside a frame that small makes layout the main design job. Look at the proof for crowding before you approve it, and make sure the border runs unbroken around all four sides.
Does West Virginia set an ink color for notary stamps?
No. West Virginia states outright that the ink color is optional, and few states put that in writing. Any color satisfies the rule, so pick the one that suits the way your documents are copied, scanned and filed.
Because the color is your choice, decide it at the order stage. A self-inking stamp arrives with its ink already chosen, so settle the color before checkout rather than after.
Can an embosser take the place of the stamp?
No. West Virginia allows an embosser but says plainly that it is not a substitute for the stamp. You may add a raised impression to a certificate, and the inked official stamp still has to appear on it.
If you want the raised mark as well, order the embosser as an addition to the stamp. Our roundup of notary seals for West Virginia looks at both devices.
Which address should the stamp show?
An address is one of the six required lines, but it does not have to be your home. West Virginia accepts a business or affiliation address in its place, which keeps a residential address off the documents you notarize for the public.
Pick the address you expect to keep the longest. The stamp prints it, and a change to your business or residence address starts a 30-day notice clock, covered below.
How long does a West Virginia notary commission last?
Five years. The filing fee is $52, and West Virginia has no separate renewal track: to keep notarizing past the end of a term, you apply to the Secretary of State again.
Treat each new term as a fresh filing. Our guide to the West Virginia notary application walks through the filing itself, and our notes on stamp renewal requirements cover the stamp side of a new term.
Does a new commission term mean a new stamp?
The rule does not say so in those words, but your commission expiration date is printed on the stamp. Once you apply again and receive a new term, a stamp showing the old date no longer matches your commission.
Order the new stamp after the new expiration date is confirmed, so the proof carries the right date the first time.
What must you report after a name or address change?
Notify the Secretary of State within 30 days. The deadline comes from statute and covers three events: a change of name, a change of business address and a change of residence address.
A change can also reach the stamp itself. If the name or the address printed on it is the one that changed, the stamp no longer matches your record, so plan the notice and the new stamp together.
What should you do if your stamp is lost or stolen?
Tell the Secretary of State promptly once you realize the stamp is gone. The duty starts the moment you find out, and it applies whether the device was misplaced or taken.
Then order a new stamp with the same six items. Our article on West Virginia notary stamp law has more on the duties that come with the device.
What details should you have ready when you order?
Four decisions: the name to print, the address to print, your commission expiration date, and your ink color. The three fixed phrases, the border and the rectangle are the same for every West Virginia notary, so those need nothing from you.
If you also want an embosser, list it as a second item. For how the seal rules apply in daily work, see our West Virginia notary public seal guidelines.
How do you check a new stamp before the first notarization?
Stamp a blank sheet and read every line against your commission. Confirm that all six items appear, that the border is complete, and that the impression stays within 1 inch by 2.5 inches.
Give the closest look to the two lines that change over time: the address and the expiration date. A wrong digit in either is easy to miss on a proof.
Frequently asked questions
Is a stamp smaller than 1 by 2.5 inches allowed?
Yes. Those figures are a ceiling, so a smaller rectangle fits the rule as long as it still holds all six items inside a border.
Can a West Virginia notary stamp be round?
The rule describes a rectangle and offers no round option, so order the rectangular format.
If I move house but my stamp shows a business address, do I still owe a notice?
Yes. The 30-day notice applies to a new residence address as well as a new business address, even when the stamp itself stays accurate.
Is an embosser required?
No. It is optional. The stamp is the required device, and an embosser can only sit alongside it.
Who issues West Virginia notary commissions?
The West Virginia Secretary of State. The same office takes your application for each term, your 30-day change notices and any report of a lost or stolen stamp.
Once your commission details are confirmed, order a West Virginia notary stamp made to the six-item wording and the 1 by 2.5 inch limit.
