A notary stamp is good for as long as the commission it was made for, and no longer than any expiration date printed on it. Terms run from two years to ten, and Louisiana and Puerto Rico set no term at all. In 31 of the 54 jurisdictions below, the expiration date is a required part of the stamp or seal, so a new term means a new stamp. This page covers terms, renewals, old stamps, lost or stolen stamps and name or address changes.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against the notary statutes, administrative rules and commissioning office guidance for all 54 jurisdictions. Sources read September 2026.
| Jurisdiction | Commission term and expiration on the stamp | Lost or stolen stamp | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Four years. The statute does not require the expiration date, though most stamps carry one. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | Ala. Code §§ 36-20-70 to 36-20-75 |
| Alaska | Four years. Expiration date optional; if you omit it, write it on each document. | Notify the Lieutenant Governor in writing within 10 days. | Alaska Stat. § 44.50.064(b)(1); Lieutenant Governor |
| Arizona | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. Each renewal needs a new stamp. | Within 10 days to the Secretary of State; a late report risks a $1,000 civil penalty. | A.R.S. § 41-266(A)(1), (B); Secretary of State |
| Arkansas | Ten years, renewal application due 60 days before expiry. Expiration date and commission number required. | Written notice to the Secretary of State, no deadline. A new commission number follows, so the new stamp differs. | A.C.A. § 21-14-107(b)(2); Secretary of State |
| California | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. Destroy or deface the seal once the commission is no longer valid; the law sets no day count for this. | Lost or damaged: tell the Secretary of State immediately by receipted delivery. | Gov. Code §§ 8204, 8207, 8207.3(e) |
| Colorado | Four years; renewal can begin 90 days early. The stamp must show the expiration date. | A written report to the Secretary of State within 30 days of learning of the loss. | C.R.S. § 24-21-517(1)(a); Secretary of State |
| Connecticut | Five years, through the last day of the appointment month. Seal optional; the date can go on a separate stamp. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-94k |
| Delaware | Two years for a first term, then two or four. The stamp must show the expiration date. | Statute: promptly. Department guidance: 10 days, plus police for theft. | 29 Del. C. § 4330(1); Department of State Notary Administrator |
| District of Columbia | Five years. The seal must show the expiration date, so each renewal needs a new seal. | Promptly to the Mayor, with a police report and a marked replacement. | D.C. Code § 1-1231.16(a)(1); Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications |
| Florida | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. Start the new seal on the first day of the new commission. | Immediately, in writing, to the Governor or the Department of State. | Fla. Stat. §§ 117.01(1), 117.05(3)(a) |
| Georgia | Term length not stated in the rules we cite. The listed seal items are name, title, state and county. | Within 10 days, in writing, to the clerk of superior court who appointed you, with a copy to the GSCCCA. | O.C.G.A. § 45-17-6(a)(1); Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority |
| Guam | Four years from your own commission. The expiration date must be cut into the die. | Written notice within 10 days, with a receipt. | 5 GCA § 33412(a); Attorney General |
| Hawaii | Four years. The expiration date may not appear on the seal, so renewal alone needs no new one. | Report within 10 days. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 456-3; Department of the Attorney General |
| Idaho | Six years. Expiration date optional; an undated stamp survives reappointment. | Promptly, with no day count. | Idaho Code § 51-117(1), (2); Secretary of State |
| Illinois | Four years. Expiration date and commission number required on the stamp. | Written notice the next business day; the replacement must differ. | 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a); Secretary of State |
| Indiana | Eight years, with continuing education every two. The stamp must show the expiration date. | Promptly to the Secretary of State. | Ind. Code § 33-42-10-2(a); Secretary of State |
| Iowa | Three years; one for a bordering-state resident working in Iowa. The stamp shows the date or a blank line. | Promptly, with no day count. | Iowa Code § 9B.17(1)(a); Secretary of State |
| Kansas | Four years, never renewed automatically. The stamp has a blank space for a handwritten date. | Promptly; the replacement must be a different style. | K.S.A. 53-5a18(a); Secretary of State |
| Kentucky | Four years. Stamp optional; if used, it shows the expiration date and is disabled on that date. | Promptly, with no day count. | KRS 423.370; KRS 423.375(1) |
| Louisiana | No term: the commission is for life. No seal is required. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | La. R.S. 35:12(B); Secretary of State's Notary Division |
| Maine | Seven years. Stamp optional on paper; if used, it shows the expiration date and is disabled on that date. | Promptly, with no day count. | 4 M.R.S. §§ 1918, 1919(1) |
| Maryland | Four years. Expiration date on the stamp unless the certificate carries it. | Promptly, with no day count. | Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-217(a)(1), (b); Secretary of State |
| Massachusetts | Seven years. The stamp must show the expiration date. The statute requires a new seal at every renewal. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | M.G.L. c.222 § 8(b)(1) |
| Michigan | Appointment to your birthday six to seven years later. Stamp optional; a blank date line can carry over. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | MCL 55.287(2); Secretary of State |
| Minnesota | Ends January 31 of the fifth year after issuance. The stamp must show the expiration date. | Not stated in the rules we cite. The Secretary of State's guide points you to the notary division. | Minn. Stat. § 359.03, subd. 3(a); Secretary of State |
| Mississippi | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. Each renewal needs a new stamp. | Within 10 calendar days; the replacement must vary from the original. | Miss. Admin. Code Rule 1-5-3.1(A) |
| Missouri | Four years. Expiration date and commission number required on the seal. | Within 10 days by receipted notice, with the police report for theft or vandalism. | RSMo § 486.730.1; Secretary of State |
| Montana | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. A new stamp each term. | Promptly to the Secretary of State. | Mont. Code Ann. § 1-5-616(2)(a); Secretary of State |
| Nebraska | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. A rule calls for a new seal at each renewal. | Not stated in the rules we cite for a paper seal. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210(1); Secretary of State |
| Nevada | Four years. Expiration date and certificate number required; both change each term. | Within 10 days, request an amended certificate and get a new stamp. | NRS 240.040; NRS 240.045 |
| New Hampshire | Five years. Expiration date required; a separate date stamp can carry it. | Promptly to the Secretary of State. | RSA 455:3, II |
| New Jersey | Term length not stated in the rules we cite. The stamp must show the expiration date. | To the State Treasurer within 10 calendar days. | N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.5 |
| New Mexico | Four years. Expiration date and commission number required on the stamp. | Statute: promptly. Secretary of State handbook: 30 days. | NMSA 1978 §§ 14-14A-16(A), 14-14A-2(L) |
| New York | Four years. Stamp optional; the details you print include the expiration date. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | N.Y. Exec. Law § 137 |
| North Carolina | Term length not stated in the rules we cite. Expiration date optional; it may be stamped, handwritten or typed. | Within 10 days to the Secretary and the register of deeds, plus police for theft or vandalism. | G.S. 10B-37(b), (d) |
| North Dakota | Four years; the commission lapses at midnight on its expiration date. The stamp must show the expiration date. | Promptly, with no day count. | N.D. Cent. Code § 44-06.1-16(1) |
| Ohio | Five years; commissions of attorneys in good standing do not expire. The paper seal shows no date. | Not stated in the rules we cite for a physical seal. | Ohio Rev. Code § 147.04; Secretary of State |
| Oklahoma | Four years. Expiration date optional on the seal; it goes with your signature. | Written notice giving the date you found it missing, plus police if stolen. | 49 O.S. § 5(A); Secretary of State |
| Oregon | Four years. Expiration date and commission number required on the stamp. | Statute: promptly. Rule: a sworn statement within 10 days. | OAR 160-100-0100(1); Secretary of State, Corporation Division |
| Pennsylvania | Four years. Expiration date and seven-digit commission number required on the seal. | Statute: promptly. Department form: 15 days. | 57 Pa.C.S. § 317(1); Department of State |
| Puerto Rico | No term and no expiration date; the seal matches your registered specimen. | Not stated in the rules we cite. | Ley Notarial Arts. 7 and 8 |
| Rhode Island | Four years, plus 30 days of service after expiry. Expiration date optional. | The rules say you should send written notice immediately; no day count. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-30.1-13(1); ch. 42-30.1 |
| South Carolina | Ten years. Expiration date optional on the seal; it can go in the certificate. | Not stated in the rules we cite for a paper seal. | S.C. Code § 26-1-5(18); Secretary of State |
| South Dakota | Six years. The expiration date goes below the seal, outside the border. | Immediately, so the Secretary of State can note your record. | SDCL § 18-1-3.1; Secretary of State |
| Tennessee | Four years from issue. The expiration date goes on the certificate, not the seal. | Not stated in the rules we cite for a paper seal. | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1360-07-02-.01 |
| Texas | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. | Report through the notary portal, with a police report if stolen; new seal before acting. | Tex. Gov't Code § 406.013(a), (b); Secretary of State |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Four years. The stamp must show the expiration date. A new seal at renewal. | Promptly to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. | 3 V.I.C. § 827(1) |
| Utah | Four years, then a new application. Expiration date and commission number required on the seal. | Police at once, plus written notice to the Lieutenant Governor. | Utah Code § 46-1-16(3)(b); Lieutenant Governor |
| Vermont | Two years, ending January 31 of odd-numbered years. Stamp optional; no date required. | Promptly, with no day count. | Vt. Admin. Code Rule 5-3(b)(iii)(B); Office of Professional Regulation |
| Virginia | Term length not stated in the rules we cite. A date on the seal is not addressed. | Not stated in the rules we cite for a paper seal. | 2024 Notary Handbook |
| Washington | Four years, or less if the assurance ends first. Expiration date and commission number required. | Written notice within 10 business days; the replacement must vary. | RCW 42.45.150(1); Washington State Department of Licensing |
| West Virginia | Five years. The stamp must show the expiration date. The device is disabled on that date. | Promptly, with no day count. | W. Va. Code §§ 39-4-17(1), 39-4-18(a) |
| Wisconsin | Four years; attorneys can hold permanent commissions. Date optional; a dated stamp is disabled on that date. | Promptly, with no day count. | Wis. Stat. §§ 140.17(1m), 140.18(1)(b) |
| Wyoming | Six years. The stamp must show the expiration date. The statute requires a new stamp each renewed term. | Promptly, as the Secretary of State directs. | Wyo. Stat. § 32-3-116(a)(ii)(D) |
How long is a notary stamp good for?
Your stamp is valid for the life of the commission it was made for. If it prints an expiration date, that date is its end point too, because a new term brings a new date the old stamp cannot show.
Some states make that a legal duty. Kentucky, Maine, West Virginia and Wisconsin require you to disable a device once the date on it passes (KRS 423.375(1), 4 M.R.S. § 1919(1), W. Va. Code § 39-4-18(a), Wis. Stat. § 140.18(1)(b)). Guam requires destroying any seal that bears the expiration date under 5 GCA § 33411(b).
An undated stamp lasts longer. In Hawaii, Ohio and South Dakota the date stays off the die, so the stamp remains usable into the next term while your name and other details are unchanged. Rhode Island also lets a notary keep serving for 30 days after the commission expires.
Which states put the expiration date on the stamp?
In 31 of the 54 jurisdictions, the commission expiration date is a required part of the stamp or seal when one is used. In 11 more it is optional or may sit elsewhere in the certificate, and three accept a blank line you fill in.
Leaving the date off saves a reorder but adds a step. Alaska then requires the date on each document, an Iowa blank-line stamp means writing the date on every record, and Maryland and Wisconsin need it in the certificate. In South Carolina the date appears below your signature either way.
Four jurisdictions keep the date off the seal: Hawaii bars it, Tennessee puts it on the certificate, the Ohio paper seal omits it, and South Dakota places it below the seal, outside the border. Louisiana and Puerto Rico have no term and so no date, and New York requires no stamp but lists the date among the details you print. For Georgia and Virginia, the rules we cite do not address a date on the seal.
How long does a notary commission last?
Four years is the most common term, used by 30 of the 54 jurisdictions. Terms run from two years, in Vermont and for a first Delaware commission, to ten years in Arkansas and South Carolina.
Indiana runs eight years, Maine and Massachusetts seven, and Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming six. Michigan runs from appointment to your birthday six to seven years later, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New Hampshire, Ohio and West Virginia use five, and Iowa residents get three.
Minnesota ends every commission on January 31 of the fifth year after issuance, so the real length ranges between five full years and roughly four years and two months. Every Vermont commission ends January 31 of an odd-numbered year, and a Washington term ends early if the assurance expires first.
Louisiana commissions are for life, Puerto Rico sets no term, commissions of Ohio attorneys in good standing do not expire, and Wisconsin attorneys can hold a permanent commission. For four rows (Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia), the rules we cite state no term length.
How long does a notary seal typically last?
A notary seal lasts as long as the commission it was made for, and four years is the most common term, set for example by California Gov. Code § 8204, Fla. Stat. § 117.01(1), N.Y. Exec. Law § 130 and 57 Pa.C.S. § 321(e). When the seal prints the expiration date, as it must in 31 of the 54 jurisdictions above, a new commission means a new seal, and Massachusetts requires a new seal at every renewal under M.G.L. c. 222, § 8.
| State | Commission term | Expiration date on the seal | When a new seal is needed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Four years from the date in the commission | Required | Each new commission; the old seal is destroyed once the commission is no longer valid, and a name change also calls for a new seal | Gov. Code §§ 8204, 8207; Secretary of State handbook |
| Florida | Four years | Required, with the commission number | Each new commission, because the date and number change | Fla. Stat. §§ 117.01(1), 117.05(3)(a) |
| Texas | Four years | Required, with the notary ID number | Each new commission; a seal that is not renewed should be destroyed | Tex. Gov't Code § 406.013(a); Secretary of State |
| New York | Four years | No seal required; the expiration date goes beneath the signature with the name and county | Only a stamp that prints the date must be replaced each term | N.Y. Exec. Law §§ 130, 137 |
| Pennsylvania | Four years | Required | Each new commission, because the date changes | 57 Pa.C.S. §§ 317(1), 321(e) |
| Massachusetts | Seven years | Required, worded "My commission expires" | Every renewal, every new commission and every name change | M.G.L. c. 222, § 8; Governor's office |
Copy the new expiration date from your commission certificate when you reorder, and take the old seal out of service as the section on expired stamps below describes.
Do I need a new stamp when I renew my commission?
Yes, if the old stamp prints your expiration date, carries a number that changes with the new commission, or your state requires a fresh seal each term. If none of those apply, the same stamp can carry into the next term.
New seal regardless. Massachusetts requires one at every renewal even when the wording is identical, the Wyoming statute orders a new stamp each renewed term, Guam requires a new inked stamp for any new commission, and a Nebraska rule calls for a new seal with the new dates.
Changing numbers. Nevada assigns a new certificate number for each appointment period, and Washington issues a new commission number. In Tennessee the wording stays the same, but the county legislative body collects the old seal for cancellation, so you reorder anyway.
Carry-over. An undated seal in Alaska, Idaho or Rhode Island, a Hawaii or South Dakota seal, an Ohio paper seal, and a North Carolina seal after recommissioning within three months with unchanged seal data can all continue. When you reorder, copy the date from the new commission; the Colorado handbook warns against adding four years to the old one.
Can I use the new stamp before my current commission ends?
Not always. A stamp belongs to its own commission, so in several states you use the old stamp until the old term ends and switch on the first day of the new term.
Washington requires the stamp for the commission in effect on the day of the act, even if the next one has arrived. Florida says to start the new seal on the first day of the new commission, Minnesota runs the old stamp through January 31 and the new one from February 1, and North Dakota allows the old device until the old commission expires.
Some states want the new stamp on file first. Kansas bars using a new stamp before its impression is filed, South Dakota requires approval of a different seal, the District of Columbia requires an in-person impression filing, and Oklahoma requires a fresh impression within 60 days of each new commission. In Pennsylvania, a notary holding a commission on 28 March 2026 may keep the existing seal until that commission expires.
What should I do with an expired notary stamp?
Take it out of service so nobody can use it. Where the rules we cite address an expired stamp, they call for destroying or disabling it, except in a few places that want it handed in.
Destroy or disable. California requires the seal to be destroyed or defaced once the commission is no longer valid but sets no day count, Massachusetts says as soon as reasonably practicable, and Guam as soon as reasonably practical. Colorado accepts destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing or securing the device.
Hand it in. The District of Columbia wants the sealer and journal surrendered to its notary office, the U.S. Virgin Islands takes the device on deposit, Tennessee sends the old seal to the county legislative body, and North Carolina expects surrender rather than destruction. In Missouri an expired or resigned notary destroys the seal, but a revoked notary mails it to the Secretary of State or risks a $500 fine.
No rule. The rules we cite for Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, South Dakota and Vermont set no disposal duty for a physical stamp. Destroy it anyway; the Texas Secretary of State and the Virginia handbook both advise making an old seal unusable.
My notary stamp is lost or stolen: what happens next?
Notify the office your state names, in writing where the rule asks for it, and involve police when the stamp was stolen. Fourteen jurisdictions set a fixed deadline, 24 require notice without a day count, and 13 state no reporting rule in the rules we cite.
Fixed deadlines are short. Illinois wants written notice the next business day, and 12 jurisdictions use 10 days, including Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey and North Carolina. Washington counts business days, Colorado allows 30 days, and Arizona adds a $1,000 civil penalty for a late report.
In three states the statute says promptly while agency material gives a number: 10 days in Delaware, 30 in New Mexico and 15 in Pennsylvania. Work to the number.
Law enforcement comes in for theft or vandalism in North Carolina, Delaware and Missouri, for a stolen stamp in Texas and Oklahoma, at once in Utah, and through a police report in the District of Columbia. Mississippi and Oregon also set out what the notice must say, including whether the stamp was lost or stolen and when you found out.
Can I reorder the same stamp after a loss?
Often not. Several states require a replacement that looks different from the missing stamp, and some issue a new number or certificate first, so an exact copy of the lost die is ruled out.
Must look different. Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi and Washington require a replacement that differs from the original, and the District of Columbia asks for a distinctive mark such as an asterisk or dot. North Dakota and Wisconsin guidance recommends a new look, and Oklahoma calls an added character or symbol advisable.
New paperwork first. Arkansas assigns a new commission number, Missouri issues a new commission, Nevada an amended certificate of appointment, and Oregon and California a replacement or duplicate Certificate of Authorization. Mississippi and Washington bar any replacement until the notice is in.
Does a name change or a move mean a new notary stamp?
A name change usually does, because the stamp must show your name as commissioned. A move only does when your address, town or county is printed on the stamp; otherwise it changes your record, not the die.
Name changes. Alaska, Guam, Mississippi and Missouri keep you on the former name until the office confirms the change and you hold a new seal. Kansas wants notice with a specimen of the new stamp before your next act, and Vermont bars acts until the updated oath is filed. Arizona, Nebraska and Oklahoma instead let the old name and stamp run to the end of the commission.
Moves. Guam and West Virginia put an address on the stamp and Montana your city or town, so a move that changes that line means a new stamp mid-term. A county move forces a new stamp in Nevada, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee and Arkansas, while North Carolina lets you keep the seal until the commission expires. Minnesota and Wisconsin stamps carry no address, and South Carolina and Oklahoma need no new seal for a county move.
Deadlines for reporting a name or address change run from five days in New York to 60 days in Florida and North Dakota.
What should I have ready before ordering a new stamp?
Have your commission certificate in front of you and copy the name, number and expiration date exactly as it shows them. Several states bar a vendor from making a notary stamp until it sees proof of your commission.
Proof of commission. Arizona sellers need a copy of your commission certificate, Nevada makers your certificate of appointment or a certified copy, and Oregon vendors your Certificate of Authorization. Missouri limits sales to registered vendors, Guam and Utah require a notarized declaration with a copy of the commission, and Mississippi allows a purchase only after the commission issues.
Dated or undated. Where the date is optional, decide before ordering. A dated stamp is replaced every term, while an undated one means adding the date to each certificate, by hand or with a separate date stamp as Connecticut law allows and the New Hampshire and South Dakota Secretaries of State suggest.
Frequently asked questions
Is it an offense to notarize after my commission expires?
The rules we cite make acting on an expired commission a Class C misdemeanor in Alabama and Tennessee. Rhode Island lets a notary keep serving for 30 days after expiry.
Can my employer keep my notary stamp when I leave?
Not in Arkansas or Missouri, where the seal is the notary's own property and does not go to an employer when the job ends. Arkansas applies that even when the employer paid for the seal.
What happens if my commission lapses before I renew?
Kentucky treats a lapsed commission as a new appointment, Indiana makes you apply as a new applicant, and Ohio sends you back through the full course and test. A Guam embosser carries over only when there is no gap between commissions.
How early can I renew my commission?
Colorado allows renewal 90 days early, and Idaho accepts applications no sooner than 90 days before expiry. Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota use 60 days, Nebraska 30, and Arkansas requires the application 60 days before expiration.
Do notary embossers expire too?
Only when they carry details that change. A Guam embosser shows no expiration date, and New Hampshire guidance pairs an undated embosser with a separate date stamp.
What if my lost stamp turns up after I get a replacement?
Illinois and Washington require the original to be destroyed. Mississippi and Oregon require you to report the recovery within 10 days.
Does a lost notary journal follow the same rule?
Arizona's 10 days and Colorado's 30 days cover a lost journal as well as a lost stamp, and Maryland requires prompt notice for either.
Is a notary seal good for the whole commission term?
Yes, as long as the name and other details on it still match your commission. It stops being usable when the commission it was made for ends, or sooner if your name or a printed detail changes.
When your new commission certificate arrives, check the name, number and expiration date on it, then shop notary stamps and enter those details exactly as issued.
