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Notarial Seal/Stamp

It is the responsibility of the notary to obtain and keep an official seal/stamp upon receiving a new or subsequent commission. The Secretary of State does not provide the seal/stamp. Seal/Stamps may be purchased from most stationery, stamp, or office supply stores. It is the notary’s responsibility to ensure that the seal/stamp is correct and complies with the requirements described below. Do not expect that the retailer or manufacturer knows the requirements. Provide this page to the vendor if there are any questions.

The Secretary of State has compiled a list of Recommended Vendors who have agreed to provide only the prescribed types of stamps to Montana notaries.

As of October 1, 2013, all Montana notaries are required to have an ink stamp unit, rectangular in shape and approximately 1” x 2 ½” in size, that contains a seal (as described below) and the additional statutorily mandated information: the notary’s printed name; the title, “Notary Public for the State of Montana”; the words, “Residing at” with the name of the city or town where the notary lives; and the notary’s commission expiration date, shown as Month/Day/Four Digit Year. The stamp may be either blue or black ink only.

The following is an illustration of the combination seal/stamp unit that is now mandated for Montana notaries:

Notary StampIMPORTANT NOTES:

  • All information as shown above must be included. The commission expiration date must be complete. It is not acceptable to “fill in” the year.
  • If any of the information contained in the seal/stamp changes during the notary’s term of office, the stamp must be replaced. Handwritten corrections are not allowed.
  • The rectangular border is a REQUIRED part of the seal/stamp.
  • Notaries must purchase a new seal/stamp for each term of office.
  • When the seal/stamp is used, the information does not need to be entered by hand again on a notarial block.