Kansas requires a notary stamp that shows your name exactly as it reads on your commission application, the words "notary public" and "State of Kansas", and a blank space where you write in your commission expiration date. No size, shape or ink color is set for a physical stamp. Rely on the rubber stamp; an embosser is decoration only. Below: wording, devices, term, name changes and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against K.S.A. 53-5a18(a) and The Kansas Secretary of State. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp use | Every Kansas notary needs one. | The Kansas Secretary of State |
| Name | Printed to match your commission application letter for letter. | K.S.A. 53-5a18(a) |
| Title words | "notary public" | K.S.A. 53-5a18(a) |
| State words | "State of Kansas" | K.S.A. 53-5a18(a) |
| Expiration date | An open space on the face that you fill in yourself. | K.S.A. 53-5a18(a) |
| Size and shape | Nothing is set for a physical stamp. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Ink color | No color is named. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Commission term | Four years, and no commission renews on its own. | The Kansas Secretary of State |
| Name change | A new stamp, plus notice to the Secretary of State with specimens of the new stamp and new signature before your next act. | The Kansas Secretary of State |
| Lost or stolen stamp | Report it to the Secretary of State promptly. | The Kansas Secretary of State |
Kansas is one row in our notary seal requirements by state table, which sets each jurisdiction's rule side by side.
Which four elements make up a Kansas notary stamp?
K.S.A. 53-5a18(a) lists four: your name, matching your commission application exactly; the phrase "notary public"; the phrase "State of Kansas"; and an empty space where you write in the date your commission expires.
The name is the element to watch. It has to match your application, so a nickname, a dropped middle initial or a different spelling puts the stamp out of line with the rule. The two phrases are fixed text. Our guide to Kansas notary seal requirements walks through each element.
Why is the expiration date left blank on a Kansas stamp?
Because the rule asks for a space where you write the date in, not for a date cut into the die. The printed part of the stamp therefore holds only your name, "notary public" and "State of Kansas", with the date added by hand.
That shapes your order. Ask for a stamp with a write-in date space large enough to hold a handwritten date clearly. For how the stamp relates to a new term, read our notes on Kansas notary stamp renewal.
Must a Kansas notary use the stamp?
Yes. Kansas requires its notaries to use a stamp, and the stamp is where the four required elements appear. Treat it as part of your standard kit from the first notarial act onward.
Keep the stamp under your own control, since a lost or stolen stamp has to be reported. Our article on Kansas notary stamp law sets the stamp rules in context.
Where does an embosser fit for a Kansas notary?
Only as decoration. The safe position in Kansas is that the inked rubber stamp is the required device and an embosser adds ornament and nothing more, so an embossed impression should never take the place of the stamp.
If you like the look of a raised seal, use it alongside the stamp, not instead of it. Your compliance rests on the inked impression carrying the four elements. See our Kansas notary public seal guidelines for more on the seal itself.
Is there a required size or shape?
Not for a physical stamp. The rules cited here set no dimensions and no outline for a tangible Kansas notary stamp, so the choice is yours as long as every required element fits.
The one layout point that matters is the date space. Choose a face with enough open room for a handwritten date to read clearly, alongside your full name as your application shows it.
Does Kansas specify an ink color?
None. Kansas does not name an ink color for the notary stamp in the rules cited here, so the color is a practical choice rather than a legal one.
Pick an ink that gives a crisp impression on the documents you handle most, and use a pen that shows clearly in the date space, since part of every impression is handwritten.
How long does a Kansas commission last, and does it renew itself?
Four years, and no Kansas notary commission renews on its own. Nothing happens automatically at the end of a term; continuing as a notary takes action on your part.
Plan ahead of the expiration date you have been writing into each impression. For the wider picture of Kansas notary rules, see our overview of Kansas notary laws.
What must you do after a name change?
Get a new stamp, then notify the Secretary of State before you perform any further notarial act. The notice goes by mail or delivery and has to include specimens of both your new stamp and your new official signature.
No number of days is attached. The requirement is tied to your conduct instead: the notice has to be in before your next act. The safe reading is to stop notarizing from the moment your name changes until the notice has been delivered.
What if your Kansas stamp is lost or stolen?
Notify the Kansas Secretary of State promptly once you learn it is gone. The requirement is promptness, so report the loss or theft as soon as you know about it rather than waiting until a replacement arrives.
After reporting, order a new stamp with the same four elements, and keep a record of when you gave notice.
Who commissions Kansas notaries?
The Kansas Secretary of State. That office commissions notaries, receives the notice and stamp specimen after a name change, and is the office you notify about a lost or stolen stamp.
Keep a copy of your commission application with your notary records, because the name on your stamp has to match it exactly.
What should you have ready when ordering?
A copy of your commission application, so the name is set exactly as you wrote it there. The phrases "notary public" and "State of Kansas" are fixed, and the date space is left blank, so the name is the only personal detail on the face.
Tell us if the order follows a name change, so the new name is used. For a checklist of the rules behind the order, read our summary of Kansas notary stamp requirements.
How do you proof a new Kansas stamp?
Stamp a blank sheet and compare it with your application: the name must match letter for letter, "notary public" and "State of Kansas" must both appear, and the date space must be empty and wide enough to write in.
Write a sample date into the space on the test sheet. If it crowds the border or the other text, the layout needs adjusting before you rely on the stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order a Kansas stamp with the expiration date already printed?
The wording rule describes a space you fill in, not a printed date. Order the write-in space so the stamp matches what the rule describes.
After a name change, can I keep using my old stamp until the new one arrives?
No. The notice to the Secretary of State has to carry an impression sample from the new stamp and must be delivered before your next act, so the order of steps is new stamp, then notice, then notarize.
Is there a deadline in days for the name change notice?
No day count is set. The deadline is your next notarial act, which is why pausing until the notice is delivered is the careful course.
What should I do with the embosser I already own?
Keep it for decoration if you want. Do not let an embossed impression replace the inked rubber stamp on a Kansas certificate.
How soon must a lost Kansas stamp be reported?
Promptly after you learn of the loss. No fixed number of days is given, so treat it as immediate.
Have your commission application beside you, then order a stamp with a write-in date space from our Kansas stamps and seals collection.
