Written by Acorn Sales Company, manufacturing stamps and seals since 1964 · Reviewed by Molly, VP Marketing at Acorn Sales, against Chapter 406 of the Texas Government Code and the Texas Secretary of State on 20 September 2026 · Updated 20 September 2026
Texas requires a notary seal on every official act, and Texas is specific about how it looks. The seal carries the words “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a star of five points, your name, your identifying number and your commission expiration date, all inside a serrated or milled edge border. Texas sets no ink color, only that an indelible ink pad be used and that the impression reproduce photographically. The element most often missing from a Texas stamp is the identifying number.
Texas notary stamp requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Texas rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp required | Yes | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.013(a) |
| Required wording | The words “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a star of five points; The notary’s name; The notary’s identifying number; The commission expiration date; A serrated or milled edge border | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.013(a), (b) |
| Size and shape | Circular no more than 2 inches in diameter, or rectangular no more than 1 inch wide by 2.5 inches long. | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.013(b) |
| Ink color | Not specified as to color. | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.013(c) |
| Embosser | The statute permits a seal press that embosses, but the same subsection requires the impression to “legibly reproduce the required elements of the seal under photographic methods”, which a blind emboss cannot do. | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.013(a), (c) |
| Commission term | Not addressed. | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.019 |
| Name or address change | Notify the Secretary of State and submit the name-change application, your current commission certificate, a surety rider and the $20 fee. | Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.019 |
| Lost or stolen stamp | Report it through the SOS Notary Portal describing the circumstances, file a police report if it was stolen and submit a copy, and get a new seal before resuming. | Texas SOS notary FAQ |
| Commissioning authority | The Texas Secretary of State | Chapter 406 of the Texas Government Code |
Rules for other states are on notary stamp requirements by state.
Is a notary stamp required in Texas?
Yes, on every official act: “A notary public shall provide a seal of office... The notary public shall authenticate all official acts with the seal of office.”.
The governing text is Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.013(a).
What must appear on a Texas notary stamp?
- The words “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a star of five points
- The notary’s name
- The notary’s identifying number
- The commission expiration date
- A serrated or milled edge border
The identifying number applies to notaries commissioned or renewing on or after 1 January 2016.
What size and shape must a Texas notary stamp be?
Circular no more than 2 inches in diameter, or rectangular no more than 1 inch wide by 2.5 inches long.
Notary public stamps are made to these conventions, and we check your lines against the statutory wording before we make the stamp.
What ink color is required for a Texas notary stamp?
Not specified as to color. Only the ink type is regulated: “An indelible ink pad must be used.” Texas is widely assumed to require black or dark ink and no primary source says so. The constraint that does bite is legibility: the same subsection requires a seal that “legibly reproduces the required elements of the seal under photographic methods”, which rules out any ink too faint to copy.
More on the trade-off in stamp ink color rules.
Is a notary embosser required or optional in Texas?
The statute permits a seal press that embosses, but the same subsection requires the impression to “legibly reproduce the required elements of the seal under photographic methods”, which a blind emboss cannot do. Treat emboss-only as non-compliant in practice; no Texas source resolves the tension outright.
Notary embossing seal kits and inked stamp kits cover both formats. See also notary stamp vs. embosser.
The star of five points is not decoration
Texas is prescriptive about design in a way most states are not. Section 406.013 requires the words “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a star of five points, and a serrated or milled edge border. Both are mandatory elements, not styling choices.
Generic templates from out-of-state suppliers routinely omit one or both. If your seal has neither a star nor a milled border, it does not meet the statute.
Do I need a new stamp when my commission is renewed or my name changes?
Not addressed. We checked § 406.011, § 406.013, the Secretary of State FAQ and the SOS educational pages: none says you must buy a new seal at reappointment. In practice you will, because the seal carries the expiration date and identifying number, but no Texas source states it.
Notify the Secretary of State and submit the name-change application, your current commission certificate, a surety rider and the $20 fee. Online notaries are also directed to update the digital seal. No deadline is set for a name change; the 10-day deadline in § 406.019 applies to an address change only.
What do I do if my Texas notary stamp is lost or stolen?
Report it through the SOS Notary Portal describing the circumstances, file a police report if it was stolen and submit a copy, and get a new seal before resuming. No deadline is stated for a paper seal. An online notary must notify law enforcement and the Secretary of State immediately.
How do I dispose of an expired Texas notary stamp?
Advisory rather than statutory: the Secretary of State says the seal “should be destroyed to prevent possible misuse” when a commission expires and you do not renew. Section 406.013 itself is silent.
More on retiring an old device in how to dispose of an expired notary stamp.
Can I notarize electronically or remotely in Texas?
Both authorized, and online notary is a separate commission under Subchapter C. The electronic seal confirms your name, jurisdiction, identifying number and commission expiration date. The ink-pad rule does not apply electronically, but the electronic version must still legibly reproduce the required elements. A replaced electronic seal must be filed with the Secretary of State within 10 days, and the seal stays under your exclusive control.
If you need your seal as an image file for electronic work, see electronic notary seal images.
Related Texas guides
Next step
Have your commission details in front of you before you order, because they go on the stamp and a wrong line means a reorder. Then browse notary public stamps, or call 804-359-0505 and we will check your wording against the statute before we make it.
Frequently asked questions about Texas notary seals
Is a notary seal required in Texas?
Yes. A notary public shall provide a seal of office and shall authenticate all official acts with it (Tex. Gov't Code § 406.013).
What has to appear on a Texas notary seal?
Five things: the words “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a star of five points; your name; your identifying number; your commission expiration date; and a serrated or milled edge border. The identifying number is the one people leave off.
Is the commission number really required on a Texas notary seal?
Yes. The statute lists the notary's identifying number as a required element, and the administrative rule applies it to everyone commissioned or recommissioned on or after 1 January 2016. Older commissions are grandfathered until they are recommissioned, which is why you still see Texas seals without a number.
What size must a Texas notary seal be?
Circular no more than 2 inches in diameter, or rectangular no more than 1 inch wide by 2.5 inches long. The serrated or milled border is mandatory in either form.
What ink color is required for a Texas notary stamp?
No color is prescribed. The statute requires only that an indelible ink pad be used to affix the impression. The real constraint is legibility: the seal must legibly reproduce its required elements under photographic methods, which rules out any ink too faint to copy.
Can I use an embosser in Texas?
The statute permits a seal press that embosses, but the same subsection requires the impression to legibly reproduce the required elements under photographic methods. A plain raised impression does not photocopy, so an embosser is safe as a supplement and risky as your only seal.
Can I share or copy my Texas notary seal?
No. A notary may not provide a copy of the seal to another person, and may not affix or attach the seal to any document except to authenticate the notary's own official act. The seal must remain within your exclusive control at all times.
What do I do with my Texas seal when my commission expires?
Section 406.013 is silent, so this is advisory rather than statutory: the Secretary of State says the seal should be destroyed to prevent possible misuse when a commission expires and you do not renew. For an online notary, theft or vandalism of the electronic seal must be reported immediately to law enforcement and the Secretary of State.
