You’ve just been commissioned, and the supply catalog offers a self-inking stamp, a round stamp, a pocket embosser, a desk embosser, and an “electronic seal package.” Do you need all of them? One of them? Does the law even treat a “stamp” and a “seal” as different things?
For most new notaries the answer is simpler than the catalog suggests. This guide explains the terminology, when each type is required or just nice to have, what must appear on the impression, and how the rules differ across eight high-volume states. It also covers how to create a clean digital seal for electronic work with our free Stamp Studio.
Not legal advice: Notary laws vary by state and change often. This guide summarizes common requirements for reference only. Confirm current rules with your commissioning authority, usually the Secretary of State, before you buy or use any seal.
Terminology: Stamp, Seal, Embosser, Electronic Seal
These words get used loosely, so here’s how they’re usually meant:
| Term | What it is | Leaves |
|---|---|---|
| Notary seal | The legal term for the notary’s official mark, whatever tool makes it | An inked, raised, or electronic impression |
| Notary stamp | An inked rubber stamp (pre-inked, self-inking, or traditional) | A flat ink impression |
| Embosser (embossed seal) | A hand press with metal dies that crimps the paper | A raised, colorless impression |
| Electronic seal | An image file plus the notary’s identifying details, attached to an electronic record | A digital image, usually paired with a digital certificate |
So “notary stamp vs seal” is mostly a question of tools, not legal categories. In most states, an inked stamp is the notary seal. The real choice is between ink, embossing, and electronic, and the law of your commissioning state decides which you must use.
Inked Notary Stamps (Rectangular vs Round)
The inked stamp is the standard tool in almost every state today, for one practical reason: it shows up on photocopies and scans. Most statutes require the seal to be “photographically reproducible.” Recorders, courts, and lenders work from copies and scans, and an invisible seal is useless to them.
Rectangular stamps
- The most common shape, often around 1 × 2.5 inches (about 25 × 65 mm).
- They fit neatly in the small space next to a notarial certificate.
- They’re easier to read, because the text runs in straight lines.
Round stamps
- Usually 1.5–2 inches in diameter (about 38–50 mm).
- They look more like a traditional seal and suit states that require a central emblem, such as a star or a state coat of arms.
- They’re slightly harder to fit into tight certificate margins.
Self-inking vs pre-inked: self-inking stamps are cheap and easy to re-ink. Pre-inked stamps give sharper, more consistent impressions and last thousands of uses. Either is fine unless your state specifies otherwise.
Ink color: several states require black ink (Florida and New York, for example). Others allow any color that photocopies well. Black is the safe default because it scans cleanly everywhere.
Need to check exact dimensions? Our stamp sizes guide lists standard notary and seal sizes in mm, inches, and pixels.
Embossed Notary Seals: Where They’re Still Used
An embosser presses a raised impression into the paper. It’s hard to fake by photocopy, which is why it was once the standard. But that’s also its weakness: a raised seal with no ink barely shows up on a scan.
That’s why most states now treat the embosser as optional or supplementary:
- Required inked seal, embosser allowed only in addition: California, Florida, and Pennsylvania all require the inked seal. You may emboss too, but the embosser can’t replace the stamp.
- Either tool allowed: states like Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio allow either an inked stamp or an embosser. If you use only an embosser, the impression still has to be readable on copies. Many notaries “smudge” the raised seal with ink or simply use an inked stamp to avoid the problem.
Why buy an embosser anyway?
- Documents going abroad. Some foreign authorities and embassies expect a raised seal and may question a document without one.
- Fraud deterrence. A raised impression on top of the ink stamp is harder to fake on a printed copy.
- Client expectations. Some title companies, banks, and older institutions still look for one.
If you buy one, the dies usually repeat the same information as your ink stamp. Keep the embosser under the same security rules as the stamp.
Electronic Notary Seals for RON and IPEN
If you perform remote online notarizations (RON) or in-person electronic notarizations (IPEN), you’ll need an electronic seal. It’s the digital counterpart of your ink stamp, applied to an electronic record such as a PDF.
What states typically require:
- The same information as your physical seal. Name, “Notary Public,” state, commission number, and expiration date, laid out so they can be read when the record is printed.
- A digital certificate. The seal image is usually paired with an X.509 digital certificate that makes the record tamper-evident. If anyone changes the document after notarization, the signature shows it. The image alone isn’t enough.
- An approved platform. Most RON states require you to use an approved technology provider and to register or apply for a separate electronic or remote authorization before you start.
- Exclusive control. The seal file and certificate must stay under your sole control. Never share login details or the seal image with staff or the platform’s support team.
Many RON platforms generate the seal for you. Others let you upload your own transparent PNG. If yours does, a clean, high-resolution file matters: blurry seals get rejected by recorders. Our digital notary seal requirements guide covers RON seal specs in more detail.
Required Elements Checklist
Whether your seal is inked, embossed, or electronic, most states require some version of the following. Use it as a checklist before you order:
- Your name, exactly as it appears on your commission
- “Notary Public”
- State of commission (e.g. “State of Texas” or “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”)
- County of commission or where your oath and bond are filed, if your state requires it
- Commission or ID number, if your state issues one
- Commission expiration date
- Border: many states require a serrated, milled, or plain border so the seal can’t be confused with other marks
- State emblem, where required (California’s state seal, Texas’s five-pointed star, Ohio’s coat of arms)
Common mistakes that get documents rejected:
- Using a nickname or leaving out a middle initial that appears on the commission.
- Ordering the stamp before you receive your commission certificate, then finding the number or dates are different.
- Stamping over signatures or certificate text, which makes the seal unreadable.
- Using a worn stamp whose small text (often the expiration date) no longer prints clearly.
State Snapshot: 8 High-Volume States
This table summarizes commonly cited requirements. Always verify with your Secretary of State before ordering, as rules are amended regularly.
| State | Seal tool | Key required elements | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Inked seal required; embosser optional in addition | Name, State Seal, “Notary Public,” county, expiration date, sequential ID and vendor ID | Round up to 2” or rectangular up to 1” × 2.5”, with a serrated or milled border |
| Texas | Inked stamp or embosser | “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a five-pointed star, name, ID number, expiration date | Impression must be readable on copies |
| Florida | Inked rubber stamp required; embosser optional in addition | Name, “Notary Public – State of Florida,” commission number, expiration date | Black ink required |
| New York | No seal required | Name, “Notary Public State of New York,” county, expiration date printed, typed, or stamped below signature | Black ink; a stamp is optional but common |
| Pennsylvania | Inked rectangular stamp required; embosser optional in addition | “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Notary Seal,” name, “Notary Public,” county, expiration date, commission number | Plain border |
| Ohio | Inked stamp or embosser | State coat of arms within a circle, surrounded by “Notary Public” or “Notarial Seal,” name, “State of Ohio” | Circle between ¾” and 1” in diameter |
| North Carolina | Inked stamp or embosser | Name as commissioned, “Notary Public,” county, “North Carolina” or “NC” | Must be clear enough to photocopy |
| Georgia | Inked stamp or embosser | Name, “Notary Public,” “Georgia” or “State of Georgia,” county | Expiration date may be included on the seal or written separately |
The pattern is clear: an inked stamp works in every state on this list, while an embosser is either optional or acceptable only if it reproduces clearly. If you only buy one tool, buy the inked stamp your state specifies.
Security: Storing and Disposing of Your Seal
Your seal is your official identity as a notary. In many states it’s legally your exclusive property, and you’re responsible for anything stamped with it.
Day to day
- Lock it up. California, for example, requires the seal to be kept in a locked, secure area under the notary’s direct and exclusive control. Even where the law is less specific, a locked drawer is good practice.
- Never lend it. Not to a colleague, an employer, or a family member. Your employer may have paid for it, but in most states it still belongs to you.
- Never stamp a blank certificate. Pre-stamping is one of the most common routes to notary fraud.
If it’s lost or stolen
- Notify your Secretary of State (or commissioning authority) promptly. Many states set a deadline, often within days.
- Some states also expect you to notify local law enforcement.
When your commission ends
- Renewing? You’ll need a new stamp, because the expiration date and sometimes the commission number change. Destroy the old one.
- Not renewing, resigning, or moving out of state? Many states require you to destroy or deface the stamp and embosser. Cutting the rubber die or filing down the embosser plates is the usual method.
- Electronic seals. Delete the seal image file and have your digital certificate revoked or let it expire. Don’t leave it on an old laptop or in a shared folder.
Creating a Digital Notary Seal in the Stamp Studio
For electronic notarizations, mock-ups before ordering a physical stamp, or a clean seal image to upload to your RON platform:
- Open a ready-made layout from our Notary & Legal templates, or start fresh in the Stamp Studio.
- Choose round or rectangular to match your state’s rules, and set the size from the table above.
- Enter your name exactly as commissioned, “Notary Public,” your state, county, commission number, and expiration date.
- Add the emblem or border your state requires, such as a star, coat of arms, or serrated edge.
- Export a transparent PNG at high resolution for RON platforms and PDFs, or an SVG to send to a stamp maker so your physical stamp matches exactly.
- Need to place it on a PDF? The PDF & Word Stamper runs entirely in your browser, so client documents are never uploaded.
Pro Tip: A digital seal image is not a substitute for your physical stamp on paper, and it isn’t a full electronic notarization on its own. For RON, the image must be applied through your approved platform together with your digital certificate.
Asked to certify a copy rather than notarize a signature? Our certified true copy stamp guide explains the wording and which states let notaries certify copies at all.
Final Thoughts
“Stamp vs seal” sounds like a choice between two products, but for most new notaries it isn’t. In nearly every state, the inked stamp is your seal, and it’s the one tool you can’t skip. The embosser is an optional extra for documents going abroad or clients who expect a raised seal. The electronic seal only matters once you’re authorized for RON or IPEN work.
Before ordering, check three things with your Secretary of State: which tool is required, which elements must appear, and what size and shape are allowed. Then lock it up and treat it like your signature.
Design Your Notary Seal
👉 Launch the Free Online Stamp Studio — design a round or rectangular notary seal with your commission details. 100% free, no watermarks.
👉 Open the Free PDF & Word Stamper — preview your seal on real documents privately in your browser, with zero uploads.
Or start from a ready-made Notary & Legal template and adapt it to your state’s requirements.