Written by Acorn Sales Company, manufacturing stamps and seals since 1964 · Reviewed by Molly, VP Marketing at Acorn Sales, against the notary statute of each state listed on 20 September 2026 · Updated 20 September 2026
Notary seal rules are set state by state, and they differ far more than most notaries expect. Five states do not require a seal at all: Kentucky, New York, Louisiana, Connecticut and Michigan. Three require black ink, and Tennessee prohibits it. A few govern the shape, the border, or the state emblem that has to appear. This page is the index: each state below links to a full guide carrying the statute citation and the date we last checked it.
Notary seal rules by state
23 states covered in depth so far, with the rest being added. Each row links to that state’s full requirements page.
| State | Seal required | Size and shape | Electronic and remote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Not specified for an ordinary notary | No true remote; the wet-ink original must reach you |
| Arizona | Yes | Any shape, up to 1.5in x 2.5in, with the state great seal | Both, after notifying the Secretary of State |
| California | Yes, with two narrow exceptions | Circular up to 2in, or rectangular up to 1in x 2.5in, serrated border | Permitted for electronic records |
| Connecticut | No; print two phrases instead | Not specified | Remote yes, but the original paper must be mailed to you |
| Florida | Yes | Not specified | Both authorized |
| Georgia | Yes | Not specified | No remote notarization law; UETA pathway only |
| Illinois | Yes | Rectangular up to 1in x 2.5in, serrated or milled border | In-person electronic yes; remote is a separate commission |
| Indiana | Yes | Not specified | In-person electronic yes; remote requires registration |
| Kentucky | No, stamp is optional | Not specified | Yes; stamp optional there too |
| Louisiana | No; the signature is the seal | Not specified; no particular style required | Remote cannot produce an authentic act |
| Maine | No on paper, yes for electronic records | Rectangular or circular (by rule, not statute) | A stamp is mandatory for electronic records |
| Maryland | Yes | Not specified | Both; stamp is permissive on electronic records |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Not specified | Yes; digital seal must say "Electronically affixed" |
| Michigan | No; print the required block instead | Not specified | Electronic and remote electronic both authorized |
| Missouri | Yes | No overall size; rectangular or circular border | Both authorized |
| New Jersey | Yes | Not specified | Permitted; stamp logically associated with the certificate |
| New York | No, stamp is optional | Not specified | Yes since 2023; no seal image required |
| North Carolina | Yes | Circular 1.5 to 2in, or rectangular up to 1in x 2.5in, visible border | Electronic yes; remote requires separate registration |
| Ohio | Yes | Circle 3/4in to 1in, containing the state coat of arms | In-person electronic yes; remote needs SOS authorization |
| South Carolina | Yes, but absence is not fatal | Not specified | Electronic yes. No remote online notarization |
| Tennessee | Yes | Circular; no diameter given | Yes; the online seal may also be square or rectangular |
| Texas | Yes | Circular up to 2in, or rectangular up to 1in x 2.5in, serrated border | Both; online notary is a separate commission |
| Virginia | Yes | Not specified | Permitted, with separate wording and control rules |
Which states do not require a notary seal?
Five of the states covered here: Kentucky, New York, Louisiana, Connecticut and Michigan. Maine is a sixth on paper only, because Maine requires a stamp for electronic records.
In every one of them the same warning applies: optional to carry does not mean unregulated. Kentucky mandates what a stamp must say the moment you choose to use one. Michigan requires a whole block of information near your signature, including the date of the act. Connecticut requires two specific phrases if you skip the seal. Louisiana requires your notary identification number, and a state office will not record a document without it. Read the second half of the rule, not just the first.
Kentucky says it outright: a notary “is not required to use a stamp.” But read the rest of that sentence, because most guidance stops too early. If you do choose to use a stamp, it must carry your name, title, jurisdiction, commission number and expiration date. Optional to carry, regulated once you opt in.
New York requires no seal either. Instead you print, typewrite or stamp your name, “Notary Public State of New York”, your county of qualification and your expiration date beneath your signature in black ink. Notaries in both states almost always buy a stamp anyway, because receiving parties expect one and it puts every required element on the page in a single motion.
Which states require black ink, and which forbids it?
Of the states covered here, Illinois, Florida and Massachusetts require black, and New York requires it for the printed statement that stands in for a seal.
- Illinois requires the rubber stamp seal to be affixed in black ink, and the rule is not in the section titled “Official seal” but in the article on performing notarial acts, which is why blue pads are so common there and so non-compliant.
- Florida requires “photographically reproducible black ink” on paper documents.
- Massachusetts requires black conditionally: if a seal that requires ink is used, it must be black. Embossed and digital seals are outside the rule.
- New York requires black for the printed information beneath your signature and for a New York City official number.
- Tennessee runs the opposite way and prohibits black, and yellow. The statute calls for any other color, provided it appears black when photocopied. Dark blue is the usual choice.
Most other states set no color and instead require the impression to be legible or photographically reproducible. Ohio is the odd one: its notary law sets no color, but county recorders require black or blue for anything recorded, and Michigan requires signatures on a recordable instrument to be black or dark blue. Arizona sets its dark-ink rule in the Secretary of State manual rather than in any statute. More in stamp ink color rules.
Which states specify a seal size or shape?
Most do not. Among those that do, the specifications are precise and worth checking before you order:
- Illinois: rectangular, no more than 1in by 2.5in, with a mandatory serrated or milled edge border. A circular Illinois seal does not comply.
- Texas: circular up to 2in, or rectangular up to 1in by 2.5in, also with a serrated or milled border, and a five-point star at the center.
- North Carolina: circular 1.5in to 2in, or rectangular up to 1in by 2.5in, with a border visible when impressed.
- California: circular up to 2in, or rectangular up to 1in by 2.5in, serrated or milled border.
- Ohio: a circle 3/4in to 1in containing the state coat of arms. Ohio names no other shape.
- Arizona: any shape, up to 1.5in by 2.5in, and it must carry the great seal of Arizona.
- Tennessee: circular, with no diameter given.
- Maine: rectangular or circular, a rule that lives in the administrative code rather than the statute.
- Missouri: no overall size at all. The one sixteenth of an inch people quote is the thickness of the border, not the size of the seal.
Where a state gives a maximum, note that it is a ceiling and not a specification. A smaller compliant stamp is legal everywhere we have checked.
Do I need a new stamp when my commission is renewed?
It depends entirely on what your state puts on the seal. If the seal carries your commission expiration date or commission number, renewal changes that and the old stamp is out of date. That covers most states.
Two useful exceptions. Ohio puts neither the number nor the expiration date on the paper seal, so renewal does not force a new stamp, though the electronic seal does carry the date and must be reissued. Massachusetts goes the other way and requires a new seal at every renewal by statute, whatever is printed on it.
A legal name change means a new stamp almost everywhere, because the seal must carry your name exactly as commissioned.
Stamp or embosser: which does your state want?
In most states the inked stamp is the legally operative seal and the embosser is optional. A few are more generous: Ohio permits an embosser outright as an alternative, New Jersey allows the stamp to be “affixed to or embossed on” the certificate, and Indiana lets you “affix, display, or emboss” the seal. Georgia says embossing is authorized but not necessary. Florida is the strictest: an impression seal may be used alongside the rubber stamp but never instead of it.
The practical caution is the same everywhere. A raised uninked impression does not photocopy, scan or e-record, so even where an embosser alone is legal it is a poor primary seal. See notary stamp vs. embosser.
States we have not covered yet
We are working through the remaining states and adding a full guide for each. In the meantime, call 804-359-0505 with your state and commission details and we will check the current wording against the statute before we make your stamp.
Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Next step
Find your state above and check its rule before you order, because the wording on a notary seal is set by statute and a wrong line means a reorder. Then browse notary public stamps and notary embossing seal kits, or call 804-359-0505.
Frequently asked questions about notary stamp requirements
Do all states require a notary seal?
No. Kentucky and New York do not require one. Kentucky's statute says a notary “is not required to use a stamp”, and New York requires printed information in black ink beneath your signature instead of a seal. Notaries in both states usually carry a stamp anyway because receiving parties expect it.
Which states require black ink on a notary stamp?
Illinois, Florida and Massachusetts require black, and New York requires black for the printed statement that stands in for a seal. Massachusetts is conditional: black applies only if a seal that requires ink is used. Most other states set no color and instead require the impression to be legible or photographically reproducible.
Can I use the same notary stamp in another state?
No. A notary seal carries your commissioning state and, in many states, your county and commission number, so it is valid only for the state that commissioned you. Ohio is the clearest example, since its seal is built around the state coat of arms and nothing from another state can be adapted.
Do I need a new notary stamp when my commission is renewed?
Usually yes, because most states put your commission expiration date or commission number on the seal and both change at renewal. Ohio is an exception, since its paper seal carries neither. Massachusetts is the opposite and requires a new seal at every renewal by statute.
What size does a notary stamp have to be?
Most states specify nothing. Where a size is given it is normally a maximum rather than a requirement, so a smaller compliant stamp is fine. Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, California and Ohio all set dimensions, and Illinois and Texas also require a serrated or milled edge border.
Is a notary embosser required anywhere?
Not in any state we have checked. An embosser is optional everywhere, though some states treat it more generously than others: Ohio permits one as a full alternative to an inked stamp, and New Jersey and Indiana allow the seal to be embossed. Florida is strictest, permitting an impression seal only in addition to the rubber stamp.
What do I do if my notary stamp is lost or stolen?
It varies widely and the deadlines are short. Illinois requires written notice the next business day, North Carolina and New Jersey give 10 days, Florida says immediately, and Kentucky and Indiana say promptly with no day count. Massachusetts, New York and Ohio impose no reporting duty at all.
Can anyone sell me a notary seal?
Not everywhere. Arizona, Illinois, Georgia, Missouri and North Carolina all require the vendor to see your commission before supplying a seal. Arizona treats a knowing breach as a felony and makes the vendor keep the copy on file for four years, Georgia makes supplying one without it a criminal offense, and Missouri runs a registered-vendor regime with penalties per violation. We collect your commission certificate before production, so this is handled either way.
