A New Hampshire notary stamp must show the words "notary public, New Hampshire", your name, and the date your commission expires. An embosser is allowed as a complete alternative. Size, shape and ink color are not set. Because the date is required, each five-year term puts a new date on the face. This page covers wording, devices, terms, and what to do when something changes.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against RSA 455:3, II and The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, with the Secretary of State handling applications and renewals. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes. | RSA 455:3, II |
| Name | Your name. | RSA 455:3, II |
| Title and state | The phrase notary public, New Hampshire. | RSA 455:3, II |
| Expiration date | The date your commission ends. | RSA 455:3, II |
| Embosser | Allowed as a full substitute for the inked stamp. | RSA 455:3, II |
| New term | Because the expiration date is a required item, each new five-year term calls for a new date on the stamp. | RSA 455:3, II |
| Commission number or county | Neither is among the three required items. | RSA 455:3, II |
| Size and shape | Not set. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Ink color | Not set by the notary act. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
| Name or address change | No statutory notice or deadline. | Not addressed in the cited rules |
Moving your commission to another state? Compare its rule in notary seal requirements by state.
What goes on a New Hampshire notary stamp?
Three items: your name, the phrase notary public, New Hampshire, and the date your commission expires. The statute lists them together, so a stamp missing any one of the three is incomplete.
Two of the three stay fixed for as long as your name does. The expiration date is the item that goes stale, since it changes every term. See our pages on New Hampshire notary seal requirements and a New Hampshire notary stamp format sample for how the three lines can be laid out.
Can you use an embosser instead of an inked stamp?
Yes. New Hampshire allows an embosser as a full alternative, so an embossed seal on its own meets the requirement and you do not also need an inked stamp to notarize.
Plan the date when you plan the device. The expiration date is one of the required items, and an embosser die cut with that date has to be remade when the date changes. Weigh that against a stamp before you buy. Our New Hampshire notary public seal guidelines go further into device choice.
Does New Hampshire set a size or shape?
No. New Hampshire's notary law does not address size or shape, so no diameter, outline or border is prescribed for a stamp or an embossed seal. Any format works as long as the three items appear.
Pick dimensions that fit the space notarial certificates usually leave you. A compact rectangle or a small round seal both work; what matters is that the date and your name stay readable.
What ink color should a New Hampshire notary use?
The notary act does not set one. No color is prescribed for a New Hampshire stamp impression, so the choice is yours, and an embosser, which uses no ink at all, sidesteps the question.
Choose an ink that stays sharp on the paper you usually notarize and in a photocopy of it. A light color that reads well on the original can lose the expiration date when the document is scanned.
How does the expiration date affect your stamp at renewal?
Terms run five years, and the expiration date is a required item on the stamp. Each renewal brings a new date, so the stamp from your previous term no longer shows the right one.
Budget for a new stamp, or a new embosser die if your embosser carries the date, once every five years. Our guide to renewing a New Hampshire notary stamp covers that cycle in more detail.
Who commissions New Hampshire notaries?
The Governor issues commissions, and the Executive Council gives its advice and consent to each appointment. Your commission, and with it the expiration date your stamp must carry, comes out of that appointment.
For your stamp, the practical point is the expiration date. It is tied to the commission the Governor issues, so copy it from your commission paperwork rather than working it out from memory.
What should you do if your stamp is lost or stolen?
Report it to the Secretary of State, and do so promptly. That is the step New Hampshire expects when a notary stamp goes missing, whether it was misplaced or taken. The instruction is promptly; the sources behind this page give no count of days.
After reporting it, order a replacement carrying the same three items, including your current expiration date. Keep a note of when and how you made the report.
What if your name or address changes during your term?
The statute does not address it. New Hampshire's notary law, as read for this page, sets no notice requirement and no deadline for a change of name or address during a commission.
Address is not among the three required items, so a move leaves the stamp's wording unchanged. A name change is different: your name is a required item, so a stamp showing your former name no longer states your name.
What should you have ready to order?
Your name, the date your commission expires, and your choice of inked stamp or embosser. The phrase notary public, New Hampshire is fixed, so you only confirm it on the proof rather than supply it.
Check the date against your commission before you send the order, since it is the one item that differs for every notary and every term. Our note on what to look for in New Hampshire notary supplies and our short list of New Hampshire notary stamp requirements make good final checks.
How do you check a New Hampshire impression before first use?
Make a test impression and read all three items against your commission: your name, notary public, New Hampshire, and the expiration date. The date is the item to check twice, digit by digit.
Then photocopy or scan the test page. If the date or any part of your name blurs in the copy, fix the impression before you use it on a document someone else will reproduce.
Frequently asked questions
Can the stamp say NH instead of New Hampshire?
The required phrase spells out New Hampshire. An abbreviation is not the wording the statute lists, so order the state name in full as part of notary public, New Hampshire.
Does the stamp need a commission number or my county?
Neither is among the three required items. The statute lists your name, the notary public, New Hampshire phrase and the expiration date, and nothing more is required on the face.
Which office handles my application and renewal?
The Secretary of State handles applications and renewals, even though the commission itself is issued by the Governor with the Executive Council's consent.
When should I order the stamp for my next term?
Once you know your new expiration date. Because the date is a required item, a stamp ordered with a guessed or estimated date risks being wrong on every document you notarize with it.
If my stamp is lost, can I keep notarizing with an embosser?
An embosser is a full alternative in New Hampshire, so if you already own one it satisfies the seal requirement on its own. The missing stamp still has to be reported to the Secretary of State without delay.
Have your commission in front of you and choose a stamp or embosser from our New Hampshire stamps and seals collection; we set your name, the required phrase and your expiration date exactly.
