5.3 Seal and Stamp Requirements

The Seal Must Be a Rubber Stamp

Section 317 of 57 Pa.C.S. requires every notary to “provide and keep an official seal,” used to authenticate all the acts, instruments and attestations of the notary. Pennsylvania is specific about the form: the seal must be a rubber (ink) stamp. An embosser — a crimping device that leaves a raised impression — is permitted as an extra security measure but cannot satisfy the requirement on its own, because an embossed impression does not photocopy reliably. On paper documents, the rubber stamp is the official seal and must always be applied.

Required Contents — In This Exact Order

The statute lists the seal elements in a mandated sequence, and the March 28, 2026 regulations add a sixth element — the seven-digit commission identification number assigned by the Department:

Size, Border, and Photographic Reproducibility

Section 317 also fixes the physical specifications:

The photographic-reproduction rule is heavily tested: the stamp must be legible and copyable so that a photocopy or scan of the notarized document shows a readable seal. This is the precise reason an embosser alone fails — a raised, inkless impression often disappears on a photocopy. Practical implications: use a stamp with clear, dark, even ink, place it near the notary's signature in a prominent, blank area of the certificate, and never stamp over text or apply the seal to a blank, undated document.

Transition Rule for the New Seal Format

The seven-digit-number requirement is phased in. A notary who holds a current commission on March 28, 2026 may keep using the existing seal until that commission expires. Any notary newly appointed or reappointed on or after March 28, 2026 must obtain a seal in the new format that includes the commission identification number.

Controlling the Stamping Device (§ 318)

The stamping device — the physical rubber stamp or the electronic seal — carries its own security duties under 57 Pa.C.S. § 318:

• Sole control. The notary is responsible for the security of the stamping device and may not allow another individual to use it to perform a notarial act. Lending the stamp to a coworker is a serious violation.
• Disabling on end of commission. On resignation or on expiration of the date shown in the device, the notary must disable it — destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing, or securing it against use so it is unusable. The stamp is never simply kept or handed to a successor.
• Suspension or revocation. A notary whose commission is suspended or revoked must surrender the stamping device to the Department.
• Death or incompetency. The personal representative, guardian, or any person knowingly in possession must render the device unusable.
• Loss or theft. If the stamping device is lost or stolen, the notary (or representative/guardian) must notify the Department promptly upon discovering the loss or theft.

Electronic Seal

For notarizations on electronic records, the notary's electronic seal must convey the same required information as the rubber stamp and be attached or logically associated with the record using a tamper-evident technology the notary has selected and notified to the Department. The electronic seal is unique to the notary and is governed by the same control and reproducibility principles as the physical stamp.

Applying the Seal Correctly

The seal does not stand alone — it accompanies a completed notarial certificate and the notary's signature. Apply the stamp in a prominent, blank space near the signature on the certificate, taking care that it does not cover or obscure the certificate wording, the signatures, or the notarial venue.

A representative compliant layout (note all six elements in order):

+--------------------------------------------------+
|        Commonwealth of Pennsylvania              |
|                Notary Seal                       |
|     Jane A. Smith, Notary Public                 |
|              Bucks County                        |
|   My commission expires: January 15, 2028        |
|        Commission number: 1234567                |
+--------------------------------------------------+

Common Seal Errors That Fail an Exam Item

Because the seal authenticates all acts, instruments, and attestations, a defective or missing seal can render a notarization unrecordable or void. County recorders may reject a deed whose seal is illegible, which is a real-world reason the photographic-reproduction standard is enforced so strictly.