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 2024 Virginia Notary Handbook and Title 47.1 of the Code of Virginia on 20 September 2026 · Updated 20 September 2026
Virginia requires a notary to affix a seal to every paper document they notarize, near the official signature, and the impression must be sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible (Code of Virginia § 47.1-16). The seal must show your name exactly as commissioned, the words “Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Virginia”. Virginia sets no size, shape or ink color. This guide covers the wording, the electronic seal rules, what changes at a name change, and how to order.
Virginia notary seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Virginia rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes, on every notarized paper document | § 47.1-16 |
| Required wording | Name exactly as commissioned, “Notary Public”, “Commonwealth of Virginia” | 2024 Notary Handbook |
| Size and shape | Not specified | § 47.1-16 |
| Ink color | Not specified | § 47.1-16 |
| Impression quality | Sharp, legible, permanent, photographically reproducible | § 47.1-16 |
| Embosser | Not a substitute; an inkless impression does not photocopy | § 47.1-16 |
| Electronic seal | Permitted; separate wording and control rules apply | § 47.1-14, § 47.1-6.1 |
| Commissioning authority | Secretary of the Commonwealth | Title 47.1 |
Full rules for other states are on notary stamp requirements by state.
Is a notary stamp required in Virginia?
Yes, on every paper document. The statute is specific about placement and quality rather than appearance: the seal goes near the notary’s official signature on the notarial certificate, and the image has to be sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible.
That last phrase does the real work. A seal that looks fine in person but scans faintly can get a document rejected, which is why worn stamps and low-ink impressions cause more problems in Virginia than wrong dimensions ever will.
What must appear on a Virginia notary stamp?
Three elements: your name exactly as it appears on your commission, the words “Notary Public”, and “Commonwealth of Virginia”. Not “State of Virginia”.
The name has to match the commission, not your everyday signature or a shortened version. If you were commissioned as Katherine and sign as Kate, the seal reads Katherine.
What size and shape must a Virginia notary stamp be?
Virginia does not specify either. The Code defines a seal simply as a device for affixing an image containing the notary’s name and other commission information, and § 47.1-16 governs the quality of the impression rather than its dimensions.
In practice a rectangular stamp around 1 by 2.5 inches fits most notarial certificate blocks without crowding the signature line. Notary public stamps are made to that convention.
What ink color is required for a Virginia notary stamp?
None is specified. Since the requirement is photographic reproducibility, pick a color that copies and scans cleanly; black and dark blue both do. Some notaries prefer blue because it distinguishes an original from a photocopy at a glance.
If a lender or title company asks for black, use black. The more restrictive requirement always wins. More on this in stamp ink color rules.
Is a notary embosser required or optional in Virginia?
Optional, and it cannot replace an inked stamp. An embosser makes a raised, inkless impression, and a raised impression does not reproduce on a photocopier, so it cannot satisfy § 47.1-16 on its own.
Notaries who want the formality of an embossed seal use both: the inked stamp for compliance, the embosser for presentation. Notary embossing seal kits cover that pairing. See also notary stamp vs. embosser.
What are the rules for a Virginia electronic notary seal?
Virginia authorizes electronic notarization, and the electronic seal carries more information than the physical one: your name exactly as commissioned, the words “Electronic Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Virginia”, the commission expiration date, and your registration number.
The electronic seal has to replicate the appearance of an inked seal on paper and appear on any visual or printed version of the certificate. It must be attached or logically associated with the document so later alterations are visible, and it must stay under your sole control. An electronic notary also records the Virginia county or city they were physically in at the time of the act.
Lost or stolen electronic notary items are reported immediately, in writing or by email, to the Secretary of the Commonwealth (§ 47.1-14). Electronic seal images are made to the state format. See also Virginia electronic notary stamps.
Do I need a new stamp when my commission is renewed or my name changes?
A name change means a new seal. The stamp has to match the name you are commissioned under, so once your commission is reissued the old stamp is no longer usable.
Routine renewal is different. The Virginia notary handbook does not address replacing the seal at renewal, and a Virginia seal carrying only your name, “Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Virginia” has nothing on it that changes when the commission is renewed. An electronic seal does show an expiration date and registration number, so that one is replaced. See Virginia notary seal requirements.
How do I dispose of an old or expired Virginia notary stamp?
Disposal is the notary’s own responsibility once they stop being a notary, and the handbook recommends rendering the seal unusable before discarding it. Cutting or grinding the die is enough; there is no requirement to surrender it to the Commonwealth.
Step by step in how to dispose of an expired notary stamp.
Related Virginia guides
Next step
Check the name on your commission certificate first, then order a stamp that carries it exactly, with “Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Virginia”. Browse notary public stamps, or contact us if you want us to check your layout against the Commonwealth’s wording before we make it. We are in Richmond and have been making Virginia notary seals since 1964.
Frequently asked questions about Virginia notary seals
Is a notary seal required in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia law requires a notary to affix a seal or stamp to every paper document they notarize, near the official signature. The impression must be sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible (Code of Virginia § 47.1-16).
What has to appear on a Virginia notary stamp?
Your name exactly as it appears on your commission, the words “Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Virginia”. An electronic notary seal carries more: the name as commissioned, “Electronic Notary Public”, “Commonwealth of Virginia”, the commission expiration date and the registration number.
What size and shape must a Virginia notary stamp be?
Virginia does not specify a size or a shape. What the statute requires is the quality of the impression: sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible. A stamp that smudges or scans faintly fails that test whatever its dimensions.
What ink color is required for a Virginia notary stamp?
Virginia specifies no ink color. Choose one that photocopies and scans cleanly, since photographic reproducibility is the actual requirement. Black and dark blue both meet it.
Is a notary embosser required in Virginia?
No. Virginia requires an impression that is photographically reproducible, and a raised inkless embossing does not reproduce on a photocopier. Notaries who want an embosser use it alongside an inked stamp, not instead of one.
Do I need a new stamp when my Virginia commission is renewed or my name changes?
A name change requires a new seal, because the stamp has to match the name you are commissioned under. The Virginia notary handbook does not separately address routine renewal; if your seal shows no expiration date or registration number, nothing on it changes at renewal.
How do I dispose of an old or expired Virginia notary stamp?
Disposing of the seal is the notary’s own responsibility once they stop being a notary, and the handbook recommends rendering it unusable before you throw it away. Lost or stolen electronic notary items must be reported in writing or by email to the Secretary of the Commonwealth immediately (§ 47.1-14).
