An Alabama notary seal must present three things: your name, the words Notary Public, and your state of appointment, shown as State of Alabama or just Alabama. An inked stamp or an embosser works, since the law accepts either alone. Size, shape and ink color are not set for an ordinary notary. This page covers wording, devices, commission term and who commissions you.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) and The judge of probate of your county, not the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State keeps the public registry and receives misconduct affidavits but does not commission anyone, and the required pre-commission training is delivered by the Alabama Probate Judges Association. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes. | Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) |
| Name | Your name. The official training course reads this as a match, letter for letter, with your commission. | Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) |
| Office | The title Notary Public. | Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) |
| State | The state of your appointment: Alabama, alone or as State of Alabama. | Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) |
| Stamp or embosser | Either one. The embosser is expressly allowed as a complete substitute for the inked stamp. | Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) |
| County, number or expiration date | None of these is among the three items the statute lists. | Ala. Code § 36-20-72(a) |
| Dimensions and outline | Not prescribed for an ordinary notary public. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Ink color | No color is prescribed. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Lost or stolen seal | No reporting step, deadline or recipient is given. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Name or address change | No notice or deadline is given. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
Moving your commission to another state? Compare its rule in notary seal requirements by state.
What wording does an Alabama notary seal need?
Three items: your name, the office title Notary Public, and the state of your appointment. The state line can read State of Alabama or simply Alabama, and either form meets the statute.
For the name, the official training course asks for a match with your commission, letter for letter. Copy it from the commission itself, including any middle name or initial the commission shows. Our breakdown of Alabama notary stamp requirements and our sample Alabama notary stamp format show how the three lines fit together.
Can an Alabama notary use an embosser instead of a stamp?
Yes. Alabama expressly permits an embosser as a full alternative to an inked stamp, so either device on its own satisfies the seal requirement. You do not need to own both to notarize.
Whichever you pick presents the same three items. An inked stamp leaves a flat, inked impression; an embosser raises the paper with no ink at all. Think about how the documents you notarize will be copied or scanned before choosing. For more on the seal itself, see our overview of Alabama notary seal requirements.
Does Alabama set a size or shape for the notary seal?
Not for an ordinary notary public. The cited law prescribes no dimensions and no outline for an ordinary notary's seal, so round, rectangular and other formats are all open to you as long as the three items appear.
That finding is limited to the ordinary notary public, which is the office this page covers. In practice, choose a size that fits the space notarial certificates usually leave, with lettering large enough to read in a copy.
Is there a required ink color in Alabama?
No. The Alabama law cited here does not address ink color, so no color is mandated for a notary stamp impression. The choice is yours, and an embosser, which uses no ink, avoids the question entirely.
Pick a color that stays readable on the paper you usually notarize and in a photocopy of it. A pale ink that looks fine on the original can wash out when the document is reproduced.
Who commissions Alabama notaries?
Your county's probate judge issues the commission. The Secretary of State does not commission notaries in Alabama, even though that office has other duties connected to them.
That split matters when you have a question about your own commission: the probate judge who commissioned you is the starting point. For the wider picture of the office, read our guide to the Alabama notary public handbook.
How long does an Alabama commission last?
Four years, counted from the date of the commission. None of the three required seal items refers to that term, so the statute's wording does not change when a new term begins.
A stamp that carries extra details you chose, such as a date, is only as current as those details. Keep the face to what the law requires and it has nothing on it tied to the term. Our post on Alabama notary stamp law covers the statute in plain language.
What if your name or address changes?
The cited law does not address either change. It sets no notice, no deadline and no form for a new name or a new address during a commission, so nothing here tells you whom to inform or by when.
A name change still affects the stamp in practice. The training course ties the name line to your commission, so if the name on your commission changes, the stamp should change with it.
What if your stamp is lost or stolen?
The cited law does not cover it. Nothing in the provision this page relies on tells you whom to notify about a missing seal, by when, or in what form.
Replace the device so you can keep working, and keep track of where every seal you own is stored. If you hold both a stamp and an embosser, the remaining one still satisfies the seal requirement while the other is replaced.
What should you have ready when you order?
Your commission, so the name can be copied exactly, and your choice of State of Alabama or Alabama for the state line. Add whether you want an inked stamp or an embosser, and for a stamp, the ink color.
Because size and shape are open for an ordinary notary, tell us the format you prefer or the space your certificates leave. Our plain-language summary of Alabama notary stamp requirements is a useful checklist before you place the order.
How do you check a new Alabama stamp before first use?
Make a test impression on plain paper and read the three required items against your commission: your name, Notary Public, and the state line. Confirm the name matches your commission letter for letter.
Then photocopy or scan the test sheet. If any letters fill in or fade in the copy, the impression will not hold up on documents that are reproduced after you notarize them.
Frequently asked questions
Does my county go on an Alabama notary seal?
No county appears among the three items the statute requires, even though a county probate judge issues your commission. The required list stops at your name, Notary Public and the state.
Do I need my commission number or expiration date on the stamp?
Neither is among the three items the statute lists. The seal law asks only for your name, the office and the state, so anything more is your choice rather than a requirement.
Who runs the pre-commission training?
The Alabama Probate Judges Association delivers it. The training is required and comes before the commission, so plan for it ahead of your appointment by the probate judge.
What does the Secretary of State do for Alabama notaries?
That office keeps the public registry of notaries and takes in affidavits alleging misconduct. It does not issue commissions, which come from the probate judge of your county.
If I move within Alabama, do I need a new stamp?
Nothing on the required face refers to your address or county, so a move does not change any of the three required items. A stamp that shows only your name, Notary Public and the state is unaffected.
Keep your commission beside you and choose a stamp or embosser from our Alabama stamps and seals collection; we set the three required lines from your commission.
