Washington Notary Stamps – Yes! Required

Washington’s Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) requires all notaries to have an official seal. The official seal can be either an inked stamp or traditional embosser. Starting July 1, 2018, new requirements have been set in regards to the aforementioned RULONA; most important to know is that the requirements we will narrate here also apply to electronic notarizations and a commission number is to be part of the official seal.

You may use an embosser as the official seal if it complies with the mandate impressions are able to be photocopied. This will require the purchase of an impression inker. The impression inker darkens the raised image created by an embosser, making it photographically reproducible. You will want to choose a dark ink for the stamp.

The stamp or seal can be rectangular or circular. If rectangular, the impression must be a minimum of 1-inch wide by 1.58-inches long (1Wx1.58L). A circular seal cannot be smaller than 1.58-inches in diameter.

In order to be considered an official Washington state notary public, the official seal will include your name, commission expiration date, commission number, and the words “Notary Public” and “State of Washington”. The demand for commission numbers is new. Make sure you include it if renewing a commission after July 1, 2018. You will not have to change until then.

Do not put an image of the Washington state seal on the chosen device. Have the required information in at least 8-pt type. There! An official seal for the state of Washington. Contact an appropriate vendor for supplies.