Every Wisconsin notary must use an official stamp that shows your name, the words Notary Public and the words State of Wisconsin. The department reads the name as including your complete legal last name, and the impression has to copy along with the record. No size, shape or ink color is set. This page covers the wording, embossers, the commission term and the 10-day notices.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against Wis. Stat. § 140.17(1m) and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official stamp | Required for every Wisconsin notary. | Wis. Stat. § 140.17(1m) |
| Your name | Must appear. The department reads this as including your full legal surname. | Wis. Stat. § 140.17(1m) |
| Fixed wording | Notary Public, plus State of Wisconsin. | Wis. Stat. § 140.17(1m) |
| Department additions | Any further item the department requires. | Wis. Stat. § 140.17(1m) |
| Copyable impression | The imprint has to be capable of copying together with the record it sits on. | Wis. Stat. § 140.17(1m) |
| Dimensions and outline | The statute sets neither. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Ink | No color appears in the notary act or the notary rules. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Embosser | Expressly allowed, and allowed as a full alternative to an inked stamp. | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions |
| Missing stamping device | Tell the department promptly once a loss or theft comes to light. The duty can also fall on your personal representative or guardian. No day count is given. | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions |
| Change notices | Written notice within 10 days. The statute covers address; the notary rules add name, seal or stamp, and primary email. | Wisconsin notary statute and notary rules |
To compare Wisconsin with every other jurisdiction, see our table of notary seal requirements by state.
What wording does a Wisconsin notary stamp have to carry?
Your name, the words Notary Public and the words State of Wisconsin. Section 140.17(1m) also lets the department require further information, and it demands an impression that can be copied together with the record the stamp is placed on.
- Name: yours, including your complete legal last name as the department reads the statute.
- Notary Public: fixed wording.
- State of Wisconsin: fixed wording.
- Department items: anything more the department requires.
- Copyable impression: a functional standard rather than a line of text.
The statute's list is short, which leaves the layout open. What it does fix is the content and the copy standard, so those are the two things to confirm on any proof. For a quick recap, see an easy guide to Wisconsin notary seal requirements.
How should your name appear on a Wisconsin notary stamp?
With your complete legal last name. The statute simply says your name, and the department reads that to mean a name including the full legal surname. A shortened surname, or a nickname standing in for the legal surname, falls short of that reading.
Multi-part and hyphenated surnames deserve extra care. Give the complete legal form when you order, and confirm it on the proof before the stamp is made.
A surname change later has two consequences. The department's rule asks for written notice of the name change within 10 days, and a new stamp carrying the new name is itself a change of stamp that the same rule asks you to report.
What does "capable of being copied" mean for your stamp?
The impression has to reproduce along with the record whenever the record is copied. Since the statute names no size, shape or color, this functional test does most of the work in deciding whether a given impression is acceptable.
A crisp inked impression copies cleanly. A faint one, or a raised impression with no ink, can leave little on the copy. The copy standard sits in the same subsection as the wording, so it applies to whatever device you use.
Can a Wisconsin notary use an embosser?
Yes. Wisconsin expressly permits an embosser, and permits it as a full alternative to an inked stamp rather than as an add-on. Whichever device you choose, it carries the required name and wording and has to produce an impression that copies with the record.
The choice comes down to how your records are handled. If the records you notarize are routinely copied or scanned, test the embossed impression on a copy before relying on it alone. For more on device choice, see our practical tips on Wisconsin notary seal guidelines.
Does Wisconsin set a size, shape or ink color for notary stamps?
No. The statute does not address size or shape, and neither the notary act nor the notary rules address ink color. Those choices are left to you, within the requirement that the impression copy along with the record.
Silence on color is not permission to use a shade that copies poorly. Pick a dark, clear ink so the copy standard is easy to meet, and choose a size that keeps your full legal name readable.
Which changes must you report to the department within 10 days?
The statute requires written notice of an address change within 10 days. The department's administrative rule reaches further: written notice within 10 days of any change to your name, your seal or stamp, or your address, and the address duty includes your primary email.
- Address: covered by both the statute and the rule.
- Name: covered by the rule.
- Seal or stamp: covered by the rule, so a new stamp is itself reportable.
- Primary email: covered by the rule as part of your address.
Plan around the rule's version, because it reaches items the statute does not mention. Ordering a new stamp for any reason starts a 10-day window to tell the department in writing.
What if your Wisconsin stamping device is lost or stolen?
Notify the department promptly once you learn of the loss or theft. The duty falls on you, or on your personal representative or guardian, and it is framed as promptly rather than as a set number of days.
With no day count given, the safe reading of promptly is the day you find out, not a grace period. A new stamp made after the loss is also a change of seal or stamp, which the department's rule asks you to report in writing within 10 days.
How long does a Wisconsin notary commission last?
Four years for notaries who are not attorneys. Your commission certificate states the expiration date, the commission carries a $500 bond, and the department sends a notice no later than 30 days ahead of expiration.
The expiration date lives on your certificate, so read it there rather than estimating from your application date. For the renewal side, see Wisconsin notary stamp renewal requirements.
Who oversees notaries in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. The notary statute refers to it simply as the department, so every notice on this page, from address and name changes to a lost stamping device, goes to that one agency.
If you are still at the start of the process, our overview of the Wisconsin notary application process covers that stage.
What should you give us when ordering a Wisconsin notary stamp?
Your name with your complete legal last name, and your choice of device: inked stamp, embosser, or both. The words Notary Public and State of Wisconsin are fixed, and the statute leaves size, shape and ink to you.
- Name: including the full legal surname.
- Device: inked stamp, embosser, or one of each.
- Ink: a dark color that copies clearly.
- Department items: anything the department has told you to include.
For help picking supplies, see supplies for new Wisconsin notaries and our notes on shopping for a stamp under Wisconsin law.
How do you test a Wisconsin stamp impression before use?
Stamp a sample page, confirm the name shows your full legal last name and that Notary Public and State of Wisconsin both appear, then copy the sample. The impression should come through clearly on the copy, since the statute requires it to copy with the record.
Run the same test on an embosser if you plan to use one, and keep the sample so you can compare later impressions against it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use red or purple ink on a Wisconsin notary stamp?
The notary act and the notary rules name no color, so neither one restricts you. Choose a color that copies clearly with the record.
Do I have to tell the department when I buy a new stamp?
Yes. The department's rule asks for written notice within 10 days of any change of seal or stamp.
Does a new email address count as a reportable change?
Yes. The rule's address notice includes your primary email address, with the same 10-day window.
Who reports a lost stamp if I cannot?
Your personal representative or guardian carries the same duty to notify the department promptly once the loss or theft is known.
Will the department remind me before my commission ends?
Yes. You receive advance notice from the department, no less than 30 days ahead of expiration.
Can my stamp show a middle initial?
The cited rule speaks to your name and the department's reading focuses on the complete legal last name. Neither addresses middle initials, so the surname is the part to get exactly right.
When your wording is settled, order from our Wisconsin stamps and seals collection with your complete legal name ready.
