Corporate Seals Guide
A corporate seal is an embosser that presses a raised impression of the company's name, and usually its state and year of formation, into paper. Companies use it to mark documents such as stock certificates, resolutions and certain contracts as official company records. Stock and membership certificates are the printed documents that show who owns shares in a corporation or units in an LLC.
This guide gathers our articles on seals and certificates. It is meant for business owners deciding whether they need a seal, corporate secretaries who handle document signing, and anyone issuing, recording or replacing certificates.
You will find explanations of how a seal differs from a notary seal or a certified copy, situations where a seal is commonly requested, how to design a seal and certificates that match your records, and how to keep a certificate ledger accurate, including what to do if a certificate is lost.
These articles are general information rather than legal advice. Whether a seal or certificate is needed depends on your state, your governing documents and the party asking, so confirm the details for your own situation.