An Idaho notary stamp must show Notary Public, State of Idaho, your name and the commission number the state issued you, and its border must have a serrated or milled edge. The stamp may be round or rectangular. Maximum dimensions are set by statute, in the section on the stamping device. This page covers wording, border, size, embossers, reapplying, notices and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) and The Idaho Secretary of State, under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts as adopted in 2018. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Your name appears on the stamp. | Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) |
| Fixed phrases | Notary Public, and State of Idaho. | Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) |
| Commission number | The number the state issued to you. | Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) |
| Border and form | The edge is serrated or milled; the stamp is round or rectangular. | Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) |
| Maximum size | No figures in this section; the statutory maximums are set in the separate section on the stamping device. | Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) |
| Ink color | No color is named. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Embosser | Never mentioned, and in effect ruled out as a stand-alone seal. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Term and assurance | Six years, backed by $10,000 in assurance: a surety bond or its equivalent. | Idaho Secretary of State |
| Continuing past the term | No renewal as such; you apply again, but not before the final 90 days of the term. | Idaho Secretary of State |
| Notices | Any change within 30 days on the Notary Change Form; a missing or stolen stamping device reported promptly. | Idaho Secretary of State |
Moving your commission to another state? Compare its rule in notary seal requirements by state.
What wording and border does an Idaho notary stamp need?
Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2) calls for the phrases Notary Public and State of Idaho, your name, and the commission number the state gave you. The stamp can be round or rectangular, and its border needs a serrated or milled edge.
The border is part of the requirement, not decoration. The name and commission number are your personal lines; copy both from your commission record. Our summary of Idaho notary stamp law covers the same list.
Where does Idaho set the stamp's size limits?
Outside the wording section. The statute does impose maximum dimensions, but they sit in the section on the stamping device rather than in Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2), where the wording and border rules live, so a reader who stops there will not find them.
The figures themselves are not reproduced on this page. Before you approve a proof, compare its measurements with the stamping device section of the statute, for whichever shape you picked.
Can an embosser serve as your Idaho notary seal?
Not by itself. Idaho's notary rules do not address embossers, and in effect an embosser is ruled out as a stand-alone seal. The device you rely on for Idaho notarizations should be the bordered stamp carrying the required wording.
Because the statute is silent, there is no Idaho rule describing an embosser's role, supplementary or otherwise. Order the stamp first and treat it as your official device. Our guide to Idaho notary seal requirements and supplies covers what else to keep with it.
Does Idaho require a particular ink color?
No. The rules this page was checked against name no ink color for an Idaho notary stamp. The choice is practical: pick an ink that shows the serrated or milled edge and the commission number clearly on the page and on copies.
Dense, dark ink tends to hold fine border detail best. A self-inking stamp keeps the impression consistent from one certificate to the next.
Which office commissions Idaho notaries, and under what law?
The Idaho Secretary of State. It operates under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, in the form Idaho adopted in 2018. The commission number on your stamp is state-issued, and that office receives your notices of change.
Questions about your commission record go to that office. Our piece on Idaho notary laws and document validation covers the wider framework.
How long does a commission last, and how do you continue it?
Six years, backed by a $10,000 assurance: a surety bond or its equivalent. Idaho has no renewal as such: you apply again, and the new application can be filed only within the final 90 days of your term.
Mark the 90-day window on your calendar so the application goes in neither too early nor too late. Our guide to Idaho notary stamp renewal requirements covers the reapplication stage.
What should you do if the stamp is lost or stolen?
Tell the commissioning officer or agency promptly after you learn the stamping device has gone missing or been stolen. Idaho frames this as a promptness duty rather than a count of days, so act on the day you notice.
Keep a note of when you found the loss and when you reported it. Replace the stamp before your next notarization, built to the same wording and border.
How do you report a change of name or address?
Use the Notary Change Form, and get it to the Secretary of State no later than 30 days after the change. The 30-day window applies to any change, not only a new name or a new address.
A name change also reaches the stamp, since your name is one of the required items. An address change does not alter the stamp's wording.
What goes into an Idaho stamp order?
Your name, the commission number the state issued you, and your choice of a round or rectangular stamp within the statutory maximums. Notary Public, State of Idaho and the serrated or milled-edge border are fixed, so you only confirm them on the proof.
New notaries can find the earlier steps in our guide to becoming a notary in Idaho, and our Idaho notary public seal guidelines for shoppers help with the buying side.
How do you check the first impression?
Stamp a blank sheet and confirm five things: a border that is visibly serrated or milled, both fixed phrases, your name, and your commission number. Then measure the impression against the maximums in the stamping device section.
Copy or scan the sheet as well. If the edge detail or a digit of the commission number blurs, fix it before the stamp goes on a certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Does the expiration date go on an Idaho stamp?
It is not one of the required items. The required content is the two fixed phrases, your name and your commission number, inside the serrated or milled border.
Is the $10,000 assurance always a surety bond?
Not necessarily. A surety bond satisfies it, and so does an arrangement that works as its equivalent. Either way the amount is $10,000.
Who is the commissioning officer or agency for a lost stamp report?
In Idaho that is the Secretary of State, which commissions notaries. The notice about a lost or stolen stamping device goes there, promptly after you learn of it.
Can I order the stamp before my commission number is issued?
The commission number is issued by the state and must appear on the stamp, so it has to be known before the stamp can be made.
Is a plain round stamp with a smooth outline acceptable?
No. A circular form is allowed, but the border has to be serrated or milled, so a smooth outline does not meet the rule.
With your commission number in hand, order a rectangular or circular stamp with a serrated or milled edge from our Idaho stamps and seals collection.
