MN Notary Notary Seal and Certificate Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information is required on a Minnesota notary's official stamp or seal?
- Notary's name, 'State of Minnesota,' and commission expiration date (Correct answer)
- Notary's name, address, and phone number
- Notary's commission number and date of appointment only
- Notary's name and the county where they were appointed
Correct answer: Notary's name, 'State of Minnesota,' and commission expiration date
Minnesota law requires the official stamp to include the notary's name, the words 'Notary Public,' 'State of Minnesota,' and the commission expiration date.
Question 2: In Minnesota, what shape must the official notary stamp be?
- Rectangular or circular (Correct answer)
- Only circular
- Only rectangular
- Any shape the notary chooses
Correct answer: Rectangular or circular
Minnesota law allows the official notary stamp to be either rectangular or circular in shape.
Question 3: What should a Minnesota notary do if their official stamp is lost or stolen?
- Notify the Secretary of State and stop using the stamp immediately (Correct answer)
- Purchase a replacement and continue notarizing
- File a police report only
- Notify the county recorder where they are registered
Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State and stop using the stamp immediately
A lost or stolen notary stamp must be reported to the Minnesota Secretary of State promptly, and the notary should cease using any stamp until a replacement is obtained.
Question 4: Under Minnesota law, may a notary use an embossing seal as their official seal?
- No, an embossing seal alone is insufficient — a stamp with legible ink must be used (Correct answer)
- Yes, an embossing seal is the preferred official seal
- Yes, if it includes the notary's name and commission number
- No, only digital seals are permitted
Correct answer: No, an embossing seal alone is insufficient — a stamp with legible ink must be used
Minnesota requires that notarial certificates include a legible inked stamp; an embossing seal alone does not produce a reproducible image and is insufficient.
Question 5: Who owns a Minnesota notary's official stamp?
- The notary personally owns and controls the stamp (Correct answer)
- The employer who paid for the stamp
- The State of Minnesota
- The county where the notary is registered
Correct answer: The notary personally owns and controls the stamp
The official notary stamp belongs to the individual notary, even if their employer purchased it, and the notary is solely responsible for its use and safekeeping.
Question 6: What happens to a Minnesota notary's official stamp when the commission expires?
- The notary must destroy or render the stamp unusable (Correct answer)
- The stamp automatically becomes void but need not be destroyed
- The stamp can be used until a new one is obtained
- The stamp must be returned to the Secretary of State
Correct answer: The notary must destroy or render the stamp unusable
Upon expiration of a commission, Minnesota notaries should destroy or deface their official stamp to prevent unauthorized future use.
MN Notary Notary Seal and Certificate Requirements 1
What information is required on a Minnesota notary's official stamp or seal?