Stamp Requirements
Required elements
The official stamp is not decoration; it is part of the notarial certificate. Under Article 14A, the stamp must contain:
- the notary's name exactly as commissioned;
- the words "Notary Public";
- the words "State of New Mexico";
- the expiration date of the notary's commission.
The stamp may be a physical ink stamp or an electronic image used in a remote notarization. It must be legible and reproducible. Do not add a commission number unless the Secretary of State's stamp design includes one; the statutory elements above are the core exam test.
Placement and use
- Affix the stamp near the notarial certificate, not over the certificate text.
- Stamp only after the notarial act is performed; never pre-stamp a blank document.
- Stop using the stamp when the commission expires or the notary resigns.
- Keep the stamp secure so it cannot be used by someone else.
Worked example
A notary's stamp shows "Jane Q. Notary, Notary Public, New Mexico, My Commission Expires 06/30/2027." The certificate is otherwise complete. The stamp is defective because it says "New Mexico" rather than "State of New Mexico." The exam expects the statutory phrase, not a shorthand.
Traps
- An embosser alone is not compliant unless it contains all required elements and produces a reproducible image.
- A stamp with an old expiration date invalidates the certificate even if the notary's current commission is active.
- Do not stamp a blank acknowledgment and fill it in later; the act must occur first.