Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a), what type of seal must each notary public obtain upon receiving the notary commission from the Secretary of State?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)
Illinois Notary Exam · Certificates
Illinois Notary Exam Practice Questions: Certificates and the Seal (2026)
Each Illinois notary must obtain an official rubber stamp seal to authenticate official acts under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a), and that seal must carry a serrated or milled edge border in a rectangle not more than one inch high by two and one-half inches long, surrounding the words 'Official Seal', the notary's official name, 'Notary Public', 'State of Illinois' and the commission expiration date. Every notarial act must be evidenced by a certificate signed and dated by the notary under 5 ILCS 312/6-103(a), and the rubber stamp must be affixed in black ink so it is capable of photographic reproduction.
Practice
Free practice questions
According to 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a), which of the following is required information that the rubber stamp seal must contain?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)
Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a), the serrated or milled edge border of the rubber stamp seal must be in a rectangular form not more than what maximum dimensions?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)
Per 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a), which words must appear on the rubber stamp seal along with the notary's official name and the words "Official Seal"?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)
Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5), an electronic notarial act must be evidenced by items that are attached to or logically associated with the electronic document and which must be how?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5)
Per 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5), the electronic seal of an electronic notary public shall look how?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5)
Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5), which item must evidence an electronic notarial act when the act was performed using audio-video communication?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5)
According to 5 ILCS 312/3-101(c), when must an electronic notary register a chosen device with the Secretary of State?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(c)
Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(c), upon learning that the technology or device used to create the electronic signature has been rendered ineffective or unsecure, what must the electronic notary do?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(c)
Per 5 ILCS 312/3-101(d), under whose control must an electronic notary public keep the electronic signature and electronic seal?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-101(d)(1)
The official rubber stamp seal and what it must contain
The seal is the physical proof of the notary's authority, and the exam tests its exact form. Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a) each notary public, upon receiving the commission, must obtain an official rubber stamp seal with which to authenticate official acts. The border is specific: a serrated or milled edge border in a rectangular form not more than one inch in height by two and one-half inches in length, surrounding the required information. That information includes the words 'Official Seal', the notary's official name, the words 'Notary Public', 'State of Illinois' and 'My commission expires' with the expiration date. The administrative rules add layout detail: 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.520(a) requires the information inside the border to appear in descending order, the notary's official name to be printed, and the commission expiration date to be expressed in terms of the month, a one- or two-digit day, and the complete year, such as January 1, 2024. You may buy the seal only after the commission is in hand. Under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.510(a) a notary may purchase an official seal only after receiving a commission certificate from the Department and providing a copy to the chosen seal vendor, and under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.510(b) the official seal is the exclusive property of the notary public.
The certificate and the ink rules
Every act needs a certificate, and the certificate has formal requirements. Under 5 ILCS 312/6-103(a) a notarial act must be evidenced by a certificate that is signed and dated by the notary public. A certificate is sufficient under 5 ILCS 312/6-103(b) if it meets the requirements of subsection (a) and is in the short form set out in Section 6-105, so a notary does not need to draft certificate language from scratch. Ink colour is tested because it is easy to get wrong. Under 5 ILCS 312/6-103(c) the notary must affix the rubber stamp seal clearly and legibly using black ink, so the imprint is capable of photographic reproduction, while 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.600(d) requires the notary's handwritten signature on a paper certificate to be a legible, recognisable signature in blue or black ink. When the certificate is on a separate page attached to a tangible record, 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.500(e) permits one additional imprint of the official seal to identify the attached record and certificate. For electronic acts the principle is the same but the wording differs: under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(b-5) the items evidencing an electronic notarial act must be immediately perceptible and reproducible, and under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(c) an electronic notary must register the chosen device with the Secretary of State before first use.
| Element | Illinois requirement |
|---|---|
| Seal type | Official rubber stamp seal (5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)) |
| Border | Serrated or milled edge, rectangular (5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)) |
| Maximum size | 1 inch high by 2.5 inches long (5 ILCS 312/3-101(a)) |
| Required words | 'Official Seal', name, 'Notary Public', 'State of Illinois', expiry |
| Stamp ink | Black ink, photographically reproducible (5 ILCS 312/6-103(c)) |
| Handwritten signature ink | Blue or black ink (14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.600(d)) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What kind of seal must an Illinois notary use?
Under 5 ILCS 312/3-101(a), each Illinois notary public must obtain an official rubber stamp seal upon receiving the commission, with which to authenticate official acts. The seal has a serrated or milled edge border in a rectangle not more than one inch high by two and one-half inches long, surrounding the required words and the commission expiration date.
What ink does an Illinois notary stamp have to use?
Under 5 ILCS 312/6-103(c), an Illinois notary must affix the rubber stamp seal clearly and legibly using black ink, so that it is capable of photographic reproduction. The notary's own handwritten signature on a paper certificate must be in blue or black ink under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.600(d).
Does every notarial act in Illinois need a certificate?
Yes. Under 5 ILCS 312/6-103(a), every Illinois notarial act must be evidenced by a certificate that is signed and dated by the notary public. The certificate is sufficient if it meets that requirement and is in the short form set out in 5 ILCS 312/6-105, so the notary does not have to write the language from scratch.
When can an Illinois notary buy the official seal?
Under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.510(a), an Illinois notary may purchase an official seal only after receiving a commission certificate from the Department and providing a copy of it to the chosen seal vendor. The seal is the exclusive property of the notary public under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.510(b).