A Georgia notary stamp has to carry exactly four things: your name as it appears on your commission, the words “Notary Public,” either “Georgia” or “GA,” and the county where you were appointed. That’s the full list under O.C.G.A. 45-17-6, and Georgia notary stamp requirements start and end with those elements. Get one wrong and any notarization you perform with the stamp can be challenged.1Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-6 – Seal of Office
The Four Required Elements
Every Georgia notary stamp must include:
- Your name, exactly as it appears on your commission certificate
- The words “Notary Public”
- The state name, spelled out as “Georgia” or abbreviated as “GA”
- Your county of appointment
The name match matters. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) notes that your name on the stamp must line up with the name on your commission. If you changed your name after being commissioned, fix the commission before you order a new stamp; ordering a stamp with your new name against an old commission creates a mismatch that can invalidate your work.2Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. General Notary Information
The county of appointment stays fixed to the county where you were commissioned, not the county where you happen to be working. Your commission itself is statewide once issued, so you can notarize in any Georgia county, but the stamp only names the one that appointed you.3Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Notary Public Application
What the Law Does Not Require
Georgia does not require your commission expiration date on the stamp. Some stamp vendors print it by default, and including it won’t get you in trouble, but the statute doesn’t call for it. Anything beyond the four elements is optional decoration.1Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-6 – Seal of Office
The statute is also silent on shape, size, ink color, and border style. There is no prescribed diameter, no required rectangle or circle, no color rule. Common sense sets the practical limits: the impression should be small enough that it doesn’t cover text or signatures, and dark enough to photocopy cleanly.
Rubber Stamp or Embosser
Both are legal. O.C.G.A. 45-17-6 accepts either a rubber ink stamp or a metal embosser and expresses no preference between them. The one format the statute rules out is a scrawl, so you cannot draw or write your seal by hand.1Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-6 – Seal of Office
As a practical matter, most working notaries prefer rubber ink stamps because the impression reproduces cleanly on photocopies and scans. An embossed seal leaves a raised impression that can wash out on a flat copy. If you use an embosser, be aware that some receiving parties may ask for an inked version as well.
The Pre-1985 “State at Large” Format
You may occasionally see an older Georgia stamp that reads “Notary Public, Georgia, State at Large” with no county named. That format is only lawful for notaries commissioned before July 1, 1985. Anyone commissioned or renewing on or after that date must use the county-specific format with all four elements.1Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-6 – Seal of Office
Placing the Stamp on a Document
The statute requires that every official notarial act be documented by the notary’s seal but does not spell out exact placement. Standard practice puts the impression near your signature so the two clearly belong together. Keep it off critical text, signature lines, and printed borders. An illegible or ambiguous impression gives the other side of any dispute an opening to challenge the notarization.
Electronic Seals Follow the Same Rules
If you perform in-person electronic notarizations or remote online notarizations, the electronic seal you apply must contain the same four elements: your name, “Notary Public,” the state name, and your county of appointment. The format changes; the content does not.
Protecting and Destroying Your Stamp
Your stamp is yours alone. Letting anyone else use it, whether a coworker, an employee, or a family member, is illegal, and if your stamp shows up on a fraudulent notarization you bear the liability whether you authorized the use or not. Keep it locked up when you’re not using it.
When your commission expires or you resign, destroy the stamp rather than leaving it in a drawer. For a rubber stamp, remove the rubber face and cut it into pieces. For an embosser, remove the metal plate and strike it until the impression is no longer legible. A discarded working stamp is a fraud waiting to happen in your name.
What Happens If Your Stamp Is Wrong
A stamp missing one of the four required elements, or carrying the wrong name or county, exposes every notarization made with it to challenge. Non-compliant notarizations can be treated as invalid, which can unwind real estate closings and other transactions that depended on the notarial act. If someone suffers financial harm from a defective notarization, civil liability follows.
The appointing clerk of superior court can also revoke your commission or deny reappointment for violating any provision of the notary public chapter, including the seal requirements. You have a right to a hearing before the clerk and a further right of appeal to superior court.4Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-15 – Revocation of Commission; Denial of Reappointment A notary who knowingly certifies a false statement, or acts with intent to deceive or defraud, can also face criminal prosecution.5Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Georgia Notary Law
Before you order or use a stamp, hold it against the four-element checklist and against your commission certificate. If the name, the words “Notary Public,” the state, and the county are all there and all correct, the stamp itself meets Georgia law.