Mississippi Notary Stamp Requirements

Mississippi's stamp rules are unusually specific compared to most states. Using an embosser instead of an ink stamp, leaving off a required element, or abbreviating the wrong word can invalidate your notarizations and expose you to liability.

Ink Stamps Only

Mississippi requires an inking rubber stamp that produces a legible, photographically reproducible image. Non-inking embossers and metal crimpers are prohibited as your primary sealing device.

You can use an embosser as a secondary decorative addition, but it cannot substitute for the ink stamp. This matters because embosser impressions often don't reproduce clearly on photocopies or scanned documents, which is exactly why the state banned them as primary seals.

Required Text on the Stamp

Every Mississippi notary stamp must display all of the following — no exceptions:

• Your commissioned name exactly as it appears on your commission certificate
• "Notary Public" (spelled out in full)
• "State of Mississippi" (spelled out in full)
• Your county of residence
• Your commission expiration date
• Your commission identification number

Abbreviations are strictly forbidden with one exception: name suffixes like "Jr.," "Sr.," or "III." You cannot abbreviate "Mississippi" to "MS," "Notary Public" to "NP," or your county name. The stamp also must not display the official Mississippi State Seal.

Size Limits

Mississippi allows two stamp shapes with specific dimensional limits:

• Round stamps: 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter
• Rectangular stamps: maximum 1 inch by 2.5 inches

Most notaries choose round stamps because they're easier to position cleanly on documents and the circular format accommodates all the required text more naturally.

When You Need a New Stamp

Three situations require ordering a replacement stamp immediately:

County change. If you move to a different county within Mississippi, your stamp must reflect your new county of residence. File Form NP-004 (Change of Address) with the $20 filing fee, then order a new stamp as soon as the state confirms the update. Your statewide jurisdiction doesn't change — you can still notarize in any of Mississippi's 82 counties — but the stamp must always show where you live.

Name change. A legal name change due to marriage, divorce, or court order requires filing Form NP-005 (Change of Name) with a $20 fee and certified proof of the change. You'll also need a new $5,000 surety bond reflecting your updated legal name, plus a new stamp.

Commission renewal. Each four-year commission comes with a new expiration date and potentially a new commission ID number, so every renewal requires a new stamp.

Lost or Stolen Stamps

Report a lost or stolen stamp to the Secretary of State's Business Services Division in writing or electronically within 10 calendar days of discovering the loss. Order a replacement stamp immediately. The lost stamp's details remain in the state's records, which helps identify any fraudulent notarizations performed with the missing device.

The Mississippi notary commission guide includes a seal and supply checklist with the exact specifications, so you can verify your stamp order before it ships.

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