Each notary public, before entering upon the duties of office, shall file the notary public's oath and bond, in the office of the secretary of state. The secretary of state, upon receipt of the proper fee, oath, and bond, shall issue a certificate of authorization with which the notary public may obtain an official notary seal. A notary seal vendor may provide a notary with an official seal only upon presentation by the notary of a certificate of authorization. The notary public shall place an impression of the notary's seal on the certificate of authorization and return the certificate of authorization to the secretary of state.

After the certificate of authorization is received, approved, and filed, the secretary of state shall issue a notary commission that authorizes the notary to commence the duties of the office of notary public. After August 1, 2003, a notary being commissioned must obtain a seal approved by the secretary of state which must be designed to leave a clear impression, be photographically reproducible, include the words "State of North Dakota" and "Notary Public", contain the name and commission expiration date of the notary public exactly as shown on the notary's commission, and which may not contain any other words, numbers, symbols, or a reproduction of the great seal of the state. All notary seals must be surrounded by a border and be either one and five-eighths inch [41.28 millimeters] in diameter or if of a rectangular design, may be up to or equal to seven-eighths inch [22.23 millimeters] vertically by two and five-eighths inches [66.68 millimeters] horizontally. An official seal is the property of the notary only and may not be retained or used by any other person including an employer of a notary even if the employer purchased or paid for the notary's seal. An official seal must remain in the direct and exclusive control of the notary at all times during a notary's commission. A notary must affix the notary's seal to each jurat or certificate of acknowledgment at the time of performing the notarial act.

Upon the resignation, removal, revocation, or expiration of a notary's commission, or the death or name change of a notary, the notarial seal must be destroyed. When a notary's official seal is lost, damaged, or is rendered otherwise unworkable, the notary shall immediately submit written notice of that fact to the secretary of state. Within five working days after receipt of the notice, the secretary of state shall issue a new certificate of authorization, which a notary may use to obtain a replacement seal.