Notary Seals FAQs
A notary seal is a tool used by notaries to certify the authenticity of legal documents and transactions. It typically includes the notary's name, title, and state.
A notary seal is used to authenticate the signature of a notary on a document, indicating that the document is an official notarized document.
Notaries public, who are appointed by the state government, typically need a notary seal to carry out their official duties. They are responsible for witnessing and certifying the signing of important documents, such as contracts and deeds.
Yes and No. Yes, you can use a notary seal stamp in place of a notary seal embosser. Some states even require the use of a notary seal stamp instead of the embosser. Both the inking seal and the embossing seal could be seen as your official notary seal. You will want to check with the regulations for your state. You would not be able to use a supplemental notary stamp as your official seal.
A notary seal typically includes the notary’s name, the notary's state of commission, the notary's commission expiration date, and registration or commission number. This information will vary by state.
Not all states require notary seals, but in many states, notaries are required to use a seal as a way of authenticating their signature.
A notary seal is usually added to the document near the notary's signature or as stated in specific guidelines laid out by the jurisdiction.
There are two types of notary seals: a rubber stamp seal, which is usually used to stamp documents, and an embosser, which creates an impression on the paper without ink.
An embossing notary seal lasts indefinitely with proper care and carries a two year warranty. An inked seal stamp is rated by impressions instead, about 10,000 for self-inking models and about 25,000 for pre-inked models. Most notaries order a new seal when the commission renews, since a seal that shows the expiration date or commission number goes out of date when either one changes.
Most notary stamps can be customized with your name, commission number, commission expiration date, and state of commission. At ESS, we use state guidelines to determine our setup.
Always follow the guidelines of your jurisdiction and ensure the notary seal is placed correctly on the document.
To order a notary seal, you will typically first review the requirements for your state, select the seal type and style, provide the text you want on the seal, and finally submit your order online.
If your notary seal is lost or stolen, you should report it to the appropriate authorities and order a replacement seal. You may also need to take additional steps to protect yourself from identity theft or fraud.
Emboss one sheet of paper at a time, keep the embosser away from extreme heat or cold, which might pull the dies out of alignment, and store the seal in a secure place under your control.
