A Hawaii notary seal must be circular, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, with a serrated or milled edge, and must show notary public, State of Hawaii, your name and your commission number. Embossers stopped qualifying in February 2022. Renewing a commission does not by itself call for a new seal. This page covers wording, size, the embosser change, notices and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against Haw. Rev. Stat. § 456-3 and The Department of the Attorney General, not the Secretary of State. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Your name appears on the seal. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 456-3 |
| Commission number | Your own commission number appears on the seal. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 456-3 |
| Fixed phrases | notary public, and State of Hawaii. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 456-3 |
| Shape and edge | A circle whose border is serrated or milled. | Hawaii Department of the Attorney General |
| Diameter | No less than 1 inch and no more than 2 inches. | Hawaii Department of the Attorney General |
| Ink color | No color is named. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Embosser | Not permitted since the February 2022 change. | Hawaii Department of the Attorney General |
| Term | Four years; renewal alone does not require a replacement seal. | Hawaii Department of the Attorney General |
| Lost or stolen seal | A ten-day limit applies. | Hawaii Department of the Attorney General |
| Changes to your record | Written notice within 30 days for a new name, occupation, employer, home or business address, phone number or email. | Hawaii Department of the Attorney General |
Moving your commission to another state? Compare its rule in notary seal requirements by state.
What does a Hawaii notary seal have to show?
Four items under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 456-3: your name, your commission number, and the phrases notary public and State of Hawaii. Two are personal to you and two are identical on every Hawaii seal.
Copy the name and the commission number from your commission paperwork so the proof can be checked line by line. Our summary of Hawaii notary stamp requirements covers the same four items.
What size and edge does the seal need?
A circle between 1 inch and 2 inches in diameter, finished with a serrated or milled edge as its border. Both the floor and the ceiling count, so a seal under an inch fails as surely as one over two.
A plain, smooth ring does not match the edge description, so look closely at the border on the proof. Our guide to Hawaii notary public seal guidelines has more on the circular format.
Why do embossers no longer qualify in Hawaii?
Because the rule changed in February 2022. The earlier version let a notary keep one seal of one of two types: a rubber stamp made as a facsimile seal, or an engraved seal. Since that change, an embosser is not permitted as a Hawaii notary seal.
If you were commissioned before that change and still use an embosser, it no longer serves as your Hawaii seal. Our overview of Hawaii notary stamp law puts the change in context.
Which office handles Hawaii notary commissions?
The Department of the Attorney General, rather than a Secretary of State, commissions Hawaii notaries. Your written notices about changes to your record therefore go to that department, each within 30 days of the change it reports.
Keep that in mind when reading notary guidance written for other states. If you are not yet commissioned, our steps to become a notary in Hawaii cover the path to a commission.
Does renewing your commission mean buying a new seal?
Not on its own. Hawaii commissions run four years, and in a reversal of what many states require, renewal alone does not call for a replacement seal. None of the four required items is an expiration date.
Other changes can still reach the seal. If your name changes, the name line no longer matches, and a worn or damaged seal is worth replacing whenever it stops printing cleanly. Our article on Hawaii notary stamp renewal requirements covers the renewal stage.
What is the time limit when a seal is lost or stolen?
Ten days. That is the window Hawaii sets for a notary seal that is lost or stolen. It is a fixed count, so treat a missing seal as urgent from the day you notice it rather than waiting for it to turn up.
The ten-day limit is what this page can confirm; the form of the notice is not set out here. The Department of the Attorney General commissions you and receives your written change notices, so ask that office how it wants a loss reported.
Which changes must you report in writing within 30 days?
A new name, occupation or employer, a new home or business address, or a new phone number or email. Each one calls for written notice to the Attorney General within 30 days of the change.
Of those changes, only a new name touches the seal itself, because your name is one of the four required items. The rest update your commission record without changing the seal's wording.
Is there an ink color requirement in Hawaii?
No. The rules behind this page do not name an ink color for the Hawaii notary seal. The choice comes down to how well the impression reads on the document and on any copy made of it.
A dark, even ink keeps the serrated or milled edge and the small commission number crisp, which makes a later copy easier to read.
What should you send with a Hawaii seal order?
Your name and commission number, taken from your commission, and your chosen diameter between 1 and 2 inches. The phrases notary public and State of Hawaii, the circular shape and the serrated or milled edge are fixed, so you only confirm them.
Leave embossers off the order. For another checklist of what the seal needs, see our page on Hawaii notary seal requirements.
How do you test a new seal before using it?
Stamp a blank sheet, then measure and read it. The diameter should fall between 1 and 2 inches, the border should be serrated or milled, and notary public, State of Hawaii, your name and your commission number should all be present and correct.
Copy or scan the sheet as well. If the edge detail or the commission number blurs on the copy, fix it before the seal goes on a certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Does my commission expiration date go on the seal?
It is not one of the four required items. The seal calls for notary public, State of Hawaii, your name and your commission number.
Is a one-inch seal large enough?
Yes. One inch is the minimum diameter, so a one-inch circle complies as long as all four items stay legible at that size.
Can I use a seal from another state's commission in Hawaii?
No. A Hawaii seal has to read State of Hawaii and carry your Hawaii commission number, so a seal built for another commission does not meet the rule.
Does the ten-day limit apply to theft as well as loss?
Yes. The same ten days applies whether the seal was lost or stolen.
Do I need a new seal after changing my name?
In practice, yes, because your name is a required item and the old seal would show the wrong one. Report the name change in writing to the Attorney General within 30 days as well.
When your commission details are ready, choose a circular seal with a serrated or milled edge from our Hawaii stamps and seals collection.
