Written by Acorn Sales Company, manufacturing stamps and seals since 1964 · Reviewed by Holly R, VP of Sales and Marketing at Acorn Sales, against the 2026 California Notary Public Handbook and Government Code sections 8207 to 8213.6 on 20 September 2026 · Updated 20 September 2026
California requires every notary to have and use a seal that is photographically reproducible when affixed to a document. It carries six elements, and California is one of the few states that specifies exact dimensions: circular no more than 2 inches across, or rectangular no more than 1 by 2.5 inches, with a serrated or milled edge border (Gov. Code § 8207). No ink color is specified. This guide covers the wording, the 30-day deadlines around name changes and expired commissions, and how to order.
California notary seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | California rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes, with two narrow exceptions | § 8207; § 66436(c); § 27391(f) |
| Required elements | State Seal and “Notary Public”; name as on commission; county of oath and bond; commission expiration date; commission number; seal vendor ID number | § 8207 |
| Size and shape | Circular ≤ 2in diameter, or rectangular ≤ 1in x 2.5in, serrated or milled edge border | § 8207 |
| Ink color | Not specified | § 8207 |
| Impression quality | Photographically reproducible when affixed | § 8207 |
| Embosser | Permitted in addition to the rubber stamp, not instead of it | § 8207 |
| Remote online notarization | Not authorized; Online Notarization Act effective by 1 Jan 2030 | CA Notary Handbook |
| Name change | New seal within 30 days of filing amended oath and bond | § 8213.6 |
| Commission ends | Seal destroyed within 30 days | §§ 8207, 8209 |
| Commissioning authority | California Secretary of State | Gov. Code Title 1 Div. 7 Ch. 3 |
Rules for other states are on notary stamp requirements by state.
Is a notary seal required in California?
Yes. Government Code § 8207 requires every notary to have and to use a seal, and the impression must be photographically reproducible when affixed to a document. The handbook is blunt about the consequence: all the elements must be discernible, so a light or smudged impression is a problem.
Two narrow exceptions exist. Acknowledgments on California subdivision map certificates may be notarized without the seal if you type your name, the county of your principal place of business and the commission expiration date next to your signature (§ 66436(c)). The seal is also not required on electronic real estate documents under § 27391(f).
What must appear on a California notary seal?
Six elements, more than almost any other state requires:
- The State Seal and the words “Notary Public”
- Your name as shown on the commission
- The county where your oath and bond were filed
- Your commission expiration date
- Your commission number
- The identification number assigned to the seal manufacturer or vendor
That last one catches people out. The vendor ID is not something you supply; it belongs to the company that makes the seal, and it is why a California notary seal cannot be ordered from just anyone. See picking a California notary seal stamp.
What size and shape must a California notary seal be?
California is specific where most states are silent. The seal is either circular, no more than 2 inches in diameter, or rectangular, no more than 1 inch in width by 2.5 inches in length, and either shape carries a serrated or milled edge border.
Those are maximums, not exact sizes, so a stamp under the limit is compliant. Six elements in a 1 by 2.5 inch rectangle is a tight layout, which is the practical reason California seals are usually made by vendors who lay them out to the state format.
What ink color is required for a California notary seal?
None. The statute specifies photographic reproducibility, not a color, which is worth stating plainly because the opposite is widely repeated. Any color that copies and scans cleanly meets the rule.
Black is the safe default. More in stamp ink color rules.
Is a notary embosser required or optional in California?
Optional, and strictly supplementary. Notaries may use an embosser in addition to the rubber stamp, but the embosser cannot be the seal of record because a raised inkless impression is not photographically reproducible.
Notary embossing seal kits pair the two. See also notary stamp vs. embosser.
Can California notaries notarize electronically or remotely?
Electronically, yes; remotely, no. A California notary may notarize an electronic document provided every requirement of a paper-based notarial act is met, including the personal appearance of the signer and use of the seal.
Remote online notarization is not authorized under current California law. The Online Notarization Act takes effect by 1 January 2030, once the Secretary of State completes the Notary Automation Project 2.0. If a signer asks you to notarize over video today, the answer is no.
Do I need a new seal when my commission is renewed or my name changes?
Both. Your seal shows the commission expiration date and commission number, so a renewal changes what is on it.
A name change runs on a clock: you have 30 days from filing the amended oath and bond to obtain a new seal, and after that period you may no longer use the commission, including the stamp, issued in your previous name (§ 8213.6).
How do I dispose of an old or expired California notary seal?
California does not leave this to discretion. When a commission is no longer valid the seal must be destroyed, to protect you from fraudulent use by someone else, and destruction happens within 30 days from the date the commission ends, when your notarial journals, records and papers are delivered to the county clerk (§§ 8207, 8209).
A lost or damaged seal is different and more urgent: notify the Secretary of State immediately, by certified mail or another means of physical delivery that provides a receipt, and request a duplicate Certificate of Authorization to obtain a replacement (§ 8207.3(e)). General guidance in how to dispose of an expired notary stamp.
Related California guides
California restricts who may make the seal. The Secretary of State publishes a list of authorized notary seal manufacturers, and the commission packet says those are the only manufacturers permitted to make a California notary public seal. Acorn Sales is on that list under manufacturer code ASC3, so a seal ordered here is made by an authorized manufacturer.
Next step
Have your commission certificate in front of you: the seal needs your name as commissioned, the county where your oath and bond were filed, the expiration date and the commission number, and a wrong digit means a reorder. Browse notary public stamps, or contact us and we will lay it out to the § 8207 format before we make it.
Frequently asked questions about California notary seals
Is a notary seal required in California?
Yes. Every California notary must have and use a seal, and it must be photographically reproducible when affixed to a document (Gov. Code § 8207). Two narrow exceptions exist: subdivision map certificates and electronic real estate documents.
What has to appear on a California notary seal?
Six elements: the State Seal and the words “Notary Public”, your name as shown on the commission, the county where your oath and bond were filed, your commission expiration date, your commission number, and the identification number assigned to the seal manufacturer or vendor.
What size and shape must a California notary seal be?
Either circular and no more than 2 inches in diameter, or rectangular no more than 1 inch wide by 2.5 inches long, with a serrated or milled edge border (Gov. Code § 8207).
What ink color is required for a California notary seal?
California specifies no ink color. The requirement is that the seal be photographically reproducible when affixed to a document. Any color that copies and scans cleanly satisfies it.
Can I use an embosser in California?
Yes, but only in addition to the rubber stamp, never instead of it. The seal of record has to be photographically reproducible, and a raised inkless impression is not.
Can California notaries perform remote online notarization?
Not currently. California law does not authorize remote online notarization. The Online Notarization Act takes effect by 1 January 2030, once the Secretary of State completes the Notary Automation Project 2.0. Electronic notarization on an electronic document is allowed if every requirement of a paper act is met, including personal appearance and use of the seal.
What happens to my seal when my name changes or my commission ends?
After a name change you have 30 days from filing the amended oath and bond to obtain a new seal; after that you may no longer use the old commission or stamp (§ 8213.6). When a commission is no longer valid the seal must be destroyed within 30 days, when your journals and records go to the county clerk (§§ 8207, 8209).
What if my California notary seal is lost or damaged?
Notify the Secretary of State immediately by certified mail or another method of physical delivery that provides a receipt, and you may request a duplicate Certificate of Authorization in order to obtain a replacement seal (§ 8207.3(e)).
