| Alabama- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Notaries commissioned before 1/1/12
may continue using existing embossing seals that indicated "County" or
"State at Large," until commission expiration. |
| Alaska- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically
reproducible. If using an embosser alone as the official seal, the
embossment must be inked (seal impression inker). If using an embosser
in conjunction with an ink stamp, do NOT ink the embossment. |
| Arizona- Ink Stamp Required. “Dark ink” specified. Embossing seal may be used ONLY in conjunction with the official ink stamp. |
| Arkansas- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Must be photographically reproducible. |
| California- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically reproducible. |
| Colorado- Ink
Stamp Required, Paper Notarial Acts. (For electronic acts, notary's
electronic signature is sufficient in lieu of a seal. E-signature must
display certain information elements.) Embossers obtained before
8/8/2012 are permitted only until commission expiration; otherwise
possession of an embossing seal is prohibited. |
| Connecticut- Not Required |
Delaware- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically
reproducible; black ink specified.
|
| District of Columbia- Embossing
Seal Required. Use of a seal impression inker in conjunction with the
embossing seal is REQUIRED (to render seal impression photographically
reproducible). |
| Florida- Ink
Stamp Required, Paper Notarial Acts. The notary ink stamp may be either
round or rectangular. An embossing seal may ONLY be used in conjunction
with the official notary ink stamp. Seal impression MUST be
photographically reproducible. (For electronic acts, notary's electronic
signature must include same information elements required for the
ink-stamp. See statutes and administrative rules for additional
standards. |
| Georgia- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required |
| Hawaii- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Notaries may only obtain either 1 ink stamp or 1 embossing seal, NOT BOTH. |
| Idaho- Ink Stamp Required |
| Illinois- Ink Stamp Required. Must be photographically reproducible; black ink specified. |
| Indiana- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically reproducible. |
| Iowa- "Official Stamp" Required, Paper and Electronic Notarial Acts. Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required, Paper Notarial Acts. (Electronic
notarial acts must include all information elements of the ink-stamp or
embossing seal.) |
| Kansas- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically reproducible. |
| Kentucky- Not Required |
| Louisiana- Not Required. The State of Louisiana considers the notary's signature to be the notarial seal. |
| Maine- Not Required |
| Maryland- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required |
| Massachusetts- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Black ink specified for stamp. |
| Michigan- Not
Required. If electing to use an official seal, an ink stamp is
acceptable (photographically reproducible). Embossing seal allowed ONLY
in conjunction with the ink stamp. |
| Minnesota- Ink
Stamp Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Must be photographically
reproducible, embosser allowed only in conjunction with ink-stamp.
(Electronic notarial acts must include all information elements of the
ink-stamp.) |
| Mississippi- Ink
Stamp Required. Notary seal image must be sharp, legible, permanent
and photographically reproducible. Embossing seal may be used ONLY in
conjunction with the official ink stamp, and only if embossing seal
imprint is NOT inked. |
| Missouri- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically
reproducible; black ink specified for stamp. If embosser used as
official seal, notary must type, stamp or handwrite additional
information on every notarial certificate. |
| Montana- Ink
Stamp Required. Blue or black ink specified. For new and
renewal commissions issued on or after October 1, 2009: Notaries are
required to use an ink stamp prescribed by the Secretary of State. |
| Nebraska- Ink Stamp Required. Round seals are discouraged by the Secretary of State; the rectangular stamp is "suggested." |
| Nevada- Ink Stamp Required. Must be photographically reproducible. |
| New Hampshire- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required |
| New Jersey- Not Required |
| New Mexico- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Electronic Seal
Required, Electronic Notarial Acts. (Electronic seal contains
information required in the paper-act seal; "generally corresponds to
data" in the notary's paper-act seal.) |
| New York- Not Required |
| North Carolina- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Must be
photographically reproducible. Electronic Notary Seal Required,
Electronic Notarial Acts. (Electronic seal data contains information
required in the paper-act seal; "generally corresponds to data" in the
notary's paper-act seal. Physical appearance of the seal replicates the
appearance of an inked seal on paper.) |
| North Dakota- Ink Stamp Required. Must be photographically reproducible. Embossers are prohibited. |
| Ohio- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required |
| Oklahoma- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required |
| Oregon- "Official
Stamp” Required, Paper and Electronic Notarial Acts. Must be legible
(photographically reproducible). For ink-stamp, permanent ink is
specified; black or dark ink recommended. Embossing seal allowed ONLY
in conjunction with ink stamp. Notary may possess more than one
stamping device. Ink-stamp impression is no longer filed by the notary
with the Secretary of State. Electronic notaries must report their
chosen technology with the Secretary of State. |
| Pennsylvania- Ink
Stamp Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Must be photographically
reproducible. Embossing seal may be used ONLY in conjunction with ink
stamp. (For electronic acts, notary's electronic signature must include
notary's name as commissioned, "Notary Public," notary's municipality
and county, and commission expiration date. Graphic representation of
the paper-act seal is not required.) |
| Rhode Island- Not Required |
| South Carolina- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Notary must “have” a seal of office,
but SC law also allows for omission of the seal on a notarial
certificate if the notary’s official title is affixed below his/her
signature. Acceptable forms of title: Notary Public for South Carolina;
SC Notary Public; Notary Public for SC. |
| South Dakota- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required |
Tennessee- Ink Stamp Required. Any ink color other than black or yellow. Seal impression must be photographically reproducible. The notary seal should contain the notary public's official
name as it appears on the commission printed at the top, the county of
election printed at the bottom and the words "State of Tennessee Notary
Public" or "Tennessee Notary Public" printed in the center.
|
| Texas-
Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Must be
photographically reproducible; indelible ink specified. (An
electronically transmitted authenticated document must legibly reproduce
the required elements of the seal.) |
| (U.S.) Virgin Islands- Embossing Seal Required. Ink Stamp may be used ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp. |
| Utah- Ink
Stamp Required. Ink stamp must contain purple ink. Must be
photographically reproducible. Embossing seal allowed ONLY in
conjunction with ink stamp; embossment must NOT be inked. |
| Vermont- Not Required |
| Virginia- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required, Paper Notarial Acts. Must be
photographically reproducible. (Electronic signature/seal includes
image or text with specified information elements that correspond to
those in the paper-act seal.) |
| Washington- Ink Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Must be photographically reproducible; indelible (permanent) ink specified. |
| West Virginia- Ink Stamp Required. Must be photographically reproducible. Embossing seal may be used ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp. |
| Wisconsin- Ink
Stamp or Embossing Seal Required. Notary may utilize both ink stamp
and embossing seal if both device imprints are on file with the
Department of Financial Institutions, and the notary’s name appears
exactly the same on both devices. |