Nebraska requires a notary stamp that shows the legend "State of Nebraska, General Notary", or the same legend ending in "General Notarial", plus your commissioned name and your commission's expiration date. Nothing anywhere sets a size or shape, and the notary law names no ink color. An embosser cannot take the stamp's place. This page covers the wording, devices, renewal, changes and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210(1) and The Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp use | Required of Nebraska notaries. | The Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Legend | "State of Nebraska, General Notary", or the variant that ends "General Notarial". | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210(1) |
| Name | Your name in the form you were commissioned under. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210(1) |
| Expiration | The date on which your commission ends. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210(1) |
| Size and shape | No size or shape rule exists in any source. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Ink color | The notary law names no color. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Embosser | Cannot be used in place of the stamp. | The Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Commission term | Four years. | The Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Renewal window | File in the thirty days before expiration: renewal application, fee and a new bond. | The Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Lost or stolen paper seal | The cited rules are silent on a paper seal. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
Nebraska is one row in our notary seal requirements by state table, which sets each jurisdiction's rule side by side.
What wording does a Nebraska notary stamp need?
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210(1) calls for three elements: a legend that opens "State of Nebraska" and closes with "General Notary" or "General Notarial", the name you were commissioned under, and your commission's end date. Nothing else is on the required list.
The legend is the part to get right. It begins with "State of Nebraska" and ends with either "General Notary" or "General Notarial", and those two versions are the only ones the statute offers. The name follows your commission, not a nickname or a business name. Read more in our explainer on key Nebraska notary stamp requirements.
Must every Nebraska notary use a stamp?
Yes. Nebraska requires its notaries to use a stamp carrying the three required elements. Order it as soon as your commission is issued, since the requirement cannot be met without it.
For the full list of seal rules in one place, see our page on Nebraska notary seal requirements.
Can an embosser be used instead of the stamp?
No. In Nebraska an embosser is not a substitute for the stamp. Whatever else you use on a certificate, the required legend, name and expiration date have to come from the stamp itself.
If you already own an embosser, it cannot carry the load on its own. Our Nebraska notary public seal guidelines discuss the seal in more detail.
Does Nebraska set a size or shape?
No, and the silence is complete. No size, shape or outline requirement exists for a Nebraska notary stamp in any statute, rule or other source we checked, so the format is left to you.
Because the legend is long, a rectangular face usually gives it the most room, but a round stamp is equally lawful. Choose the layout that keeps all three elements easy to read.
Which ink color should a Nebraska stamp use?
The Nebraska notary law does not specify one. No ink color appears in it, so the color of your stamp's ink is a practical choice rather than a legal requirement.
Choose an ink that gives a clean, dark impression on the paper you usually handle, and keep using the same color so your certificates look consistent.
How long is a Nebraska commission, and when do you renew?
Four years. You renew within the thirty days leading up to your expiration date by filing a renewal application, paying the fee and posting a new bond.
The window is short, so mark it in your calendar a little over a month ahead of expiration. For the stamp side of renewal, see our notes on Nebraska notary stamp renewal and on expiration dates on Nebraska notary seals.
What happens after a name or address change?
Nebraska treats the two changes under two separate rules, and those rules do not line up with each other. The source we checked flags that mismatch without setting out either rule, so this page gives no deadline or procedure for either change.
What the wording rule does settle is that your stamp shows your name as commissioned. If your commissioned name changes, the name on the stamp has to follow it.
What if a paper seal is lost or stolen?
The rules cited here do not address it for a paper seal. Under them, no notice, deadline or reporting step attaches to a lost or stolen paper notary seal.
Since the stamp itself is required, replace it before your next notarization, using the same legend, name and expiration date.
Who commissions Nebraska notaries?
The Nebraska Secretary of State, through its Business Services Division. That office handles notary commissions, and your commission is the source of two of the three elements on your stamp: your name as commissioned and the expiration date.
Keep your commission document with your notary records so both details can be copied exactly when you order.
What should you have ready when ordering?
Your choice of legend ending, "General Notary" or "General Notarial", your name exactly as commissioned, and your commission expiration date. "State of Nebraska" opens the legend either way.
No commission number or county is on the required list, so you do not need to supply one. Business owners who keep notaries on staff can read our note on Nebraska notary stamp law for businesses.
How do you check a Nebraska stamp before first use?
Stamp a blank sheet and read the legend word for word, including the comma after "Nebraska" and the exact ending you chose. Then confirm the name matches your commission and the expiration date is right.
Check that the impression is dark and even across the whole face, since a faint legend defeats the purpose of getting the wording right.
Frequently asked questions
Is "General Notarial" as acceptable as "General Notary"?
Yes. The statute offers both endings, so either one completes the legend.
Can a Nebraska stamp read "Notary Public" instead?
The statute lists two legends, both starting "State of Nebraska" and ending "General Notary" or "General Notarial". A stamp using a different phrase carries neither of the listed legends.
Can I file my renewal more than thirty days early?
The renewal window given is the thirty days before your expiration date. File within that window.
Can I keep the same stamp after renewing?
The stamp must show the date your commission expires. A renewed commission ends on a later date, so a stamp printed with the old date no longer shows it.
Does a Nebraska stamp need a commission number?
No. The required list has three elements: the legend, your name as commissioned and the expiration date.
With your legend ending chosen and your commission at hand, order your stamp from our Nebraska stamps and seals collection.
