WI Notary Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information must appear on a Wisconsin notary's official seal?
- Notary's name, the words 'Notary Public,' and 'State of Wisconsin' (Correct answer)
- Only the notary's name and commission number
- The notary's home address and phone number
- The county and ZIP code of the notary
Correct answer: Notary's name, the words 'Notary Public,' and 'State of Wisconsin'
Wisconsin law requires the official notary seal to display the notary's name, 'Notary Public,' and 'State of Wisconsin.'
Question 2: What shape is required for a Wisconsin notary's official seal?
- Rectangular or circular (Correct answer)
- Only circular
- Only rectangular
- Triangular
Correct answer: Rectangular or circular
Wisconsin law allows the official notary seal to be either rectangular or circular in shape.
Question 3: What should a Wisconsin notary do if their official seal is lost or stolen?
- Notify the Department of Financial Institutions and stop using the seal (Correct answer)
- Purchase a replacement and continue notarizing
- Report it to the county clerk only
- File a police report and do nothing else
Correct answer: Notify the Department of Financial Institutions and stop using the seal
If a Wisconsin notary's seal is lost or stolen, the notary must notify the Department of Financial Institutions and cease performing notarial acts until a new seal is obtained.
Question 4: Must a Wisconsin notary's seal impression be legible and reproducible by photography?
- Yes (Correct answer)
- No, legibility is optional
- Only for electronic documents
- Only for court-filed documents
Correct answer: Yes
Wisconsin requires that notary seal impressions be legible and capable of being reproduced by photography or photocopy.
Question 5: Who owns a Wisconsin notary's official seal?
- The notary personally (Correct answer)
- The employer of the notary
- The State of Wisconsin
- The Department of Financial Institutions
Correct answer: The notary personally
The notary's official seal is the personal property of the notary, not their employer, even if the employer paid for it.
Question 6: What must a Wisconsin notary do with their seal upon resignation or expiration of commission?
- Destroy or deface the seal so it cannot be misused (Correct answer)
- Return it to the Department of Financial Institutions
- Give it to their employer
- Keep it as a souvenir without restriction
Correct answer: Destroy or deface the seal so it cannot be misused
When a Wisconsin notary's commission ends, they should destroy or deface the official seal to prevent unauthorized use.
WI Notary Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements 1
What information must appear on a Wisconsin notary's official seal?