PA notary stamp requirements (2026 rule)

TL;DR

• Six elements required on every PA notary stamp, in a specific order.
• Seven-digit commission identification number is mandatory under the March 28, 2026 final rule (56 Pa.B. 1672).
• Maximum dimensions: 1 inch tall by 3½ inches wide, with a plain border.
• An embosser is allowed but cannot substitute for an inked rubber stamp.
• Existing commissions may keep their current stamps until the commission expires; new or reappointed notaries must use a compliant stamp from day one.
• You may own more than one stamping device per commission (4 Pa. Code § 167.21 clarification).

What the stamp must say

Under 57 Pa.C.S. § 315 and 4 Pa. Code § 167.21, every PA notary stamp must show the following six elements in order. No abbreviations are permitted except a name suffix:

1. “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”
2. “Notary Seal”
3. Notary’s commissioned name followed by “Notary Public”
4. County where the notary maintains an office
5. Commission expiration date (full date, written out)
6. Commission identification number — now a 7-digit number

Example (from DOS guidance):

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — Notary Seal Jane Q. Doe, Notary Public Dauphin County My commission expires May 19, 2030 Commission number 1234567

The commissioned name is the one on your application and appointment certificate, not a nickname. If your application reads “Jane Q. Doe,” the stamp must read “Jane Q. Doe” — not “Jane Doe,” not “J. Q. Doe,” not “Janie Doe.” Nicknames and bare initials are grounds for rejection at the recording office.

What’s new in 2026

The March 28, 2026 final rule (Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 26-438, 56 Pa.B. 1672) tightened the stamp rules in three ways:

• 7-digit commission ID is now required. Older commissions issued before the rule may have used shorter numbers; DOS is assigning full 7-digit IDs going forward and existing commissions are renumbered at renewal.
• Multiple stamping devices allowed per commission. The regulation explicitly clarifies that a notary may “keep more than one stamping device for the same commission” — useful for notaries who work across offices or carry a backup. Every device must meet the same security standard.
• Existing stamps remain valid through the current term. A notary commissioned before March 28, 2026 with a compliant pre-rule stamp may keep using it until the commission expires. At renewal, the new stamp must meet the 7-digit standard.

Physical dimensions and format

From 4 Pa. Code § 167.21 and DOS’s Notary Public Equipment page:

• Maximum size: 1 inch tall × 3½ inches wide.
• Plain border around the stamp.
• Must be photographically reproducible — the impression has to show up clearly when a recorder scans or photocopies the document.
• Placed near the notary’s signature on the certificate.
• Ink color is not mandated, but black or dark blue is standard. Some recording offices reject faded purple or red impressions.

Stamp vs. embosser

Pennsylvania law lets you own an embosser (the crimping tool that raises the paper), but an embosser cannot substitute for the inked rubber stamp. The stamp impression is the legal seal; the embosser is an optional anti-counterfeit addition.

A lot of new notaries buy an “official seal embosser” expecting it to satisfy the stamp requirement. It does not. You need the rubber stamp, full stop. You may add an embosser if you want; it’s decorative from a legal standpoint but can help prevent photocopy fraud.

How to order a compliant stamp

There are three routes most PA notaries use:

1. Bundled with your bond and supplies from a notary association or supplier. The National Notary Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Notaries, Notaries Equipment Company (Philadelphia), Notary Rotary, and similar vendors bundle the stamp with your $25,000 bond, a journal, and often E&O insurance. Price for the stamp alone is usually $20–$45; bundles run $100–$180. See Do PA notaries need E&O insurance? for the bond-and-insurance layer.
2. Standalone from an engraver or online stamp vendor. Any vendor who accepts the six-element layout can make it. Ask for the 2026-compliant PA template and provide your 7-digit commission number, exact commissioned name, county, and expiration date.
3. Office supply stores (Staples, Office Depot) offer custom rubber stamps but often don’t know the PA-specific requirements. If you go this route, bring the DOS equipment page as a printed reference and double-check the proof before they engrave.

What to confirm before you order:

• Exact commissioned name (match your appointment certificate).
• 7-digit commission number (on your commission certificate from DOS).
• County of your office (not necessarily your residence).
• Full commission expiration date as DOS issued it.

When your stamp is compromised, lost, or your commission ends

• Lost or stolen: Report to the Department of State within 15 days using the DOS loss/theft form. Do not order a replacement until you have DOS acknowledgment in writing.
• Commission expires or you resign: Under 57 Pa.C.S. § 317, you must disable the device — destroy, deface, or secure it so it cannot be used. Do not send it to DOS unless specifically instructed.
• Commission suspended or revoked: Surrender the device to DOS per § 317(a)(2.1).
• Notary dies or is incapacitated: The personal representative or anyone knowingly in possession must render the device unusable.

The stamp is the notary’s personal property, kept under the notary’s sole custody. Lending it to a colleague or leaving it at a shared reception desk is a prohibited act under 4 Pa. Code § 167.121 and a frequent trigger for DOS disciplinary action.

Where the stamp goes on the document

Near your signature. Recorders of Deeds and courts expect the stamp impression to touch or abut the certificate block, not float in the margin. If the certificate block is too small, use a separate “notary certificate” page attached to the record.

Do not stamp the document before you perform the act. Pre-stamping blank pages is specifically prohibited under 4 Pa. Code § 167.121 and is one of the grounds DOS uses to revoke commissions. Stamp only after the act is complete and the certificate is filled in.

Further reading

• Becoming a PA Notary — the 9-step commission process
• PA notary bond jumped to $25,000 in 2026
• What to do if a notary made a mistake
• Glossary: Stamp and commission ID