Is a corporate seal required? The rule in all 50 states
No U.S. state or DC requires a corporation or LLC to have a seal. Every state's corporation law treats a seal as an optional power ("to have a corporate seal"). Banks, title companies, notaries abroad and many attorneys still ask for one, which is why most companies keep a seal in the kit.
| Alabama | No | No | Ala. Code § 10A-1-2.11(2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | No | No | AS 10.06.010(3) |
| Arizona | No | No | A.R.S. § 10-302 |
| Arkansas | No | No | Ark. Code § 4-27-302 |
| California | No | No | Cal. Corp. Code § 207(a) |
| Colorado | No | No | C.R.S. § 7-103-102 |
| Connecticut | No | No | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-647 |
| Delaware | No | No | 8 Del. C. § 122(3) |
| District of Columbia | No | No | D.C. Code § 29-303.02 |
| Florida | No | No | Fla. Stat. § 607.0302(2) |
| Georgia | No | No | O.C.G.A. § 14-2-302 |
| Hawaii | No | No | HRS § 414-42 |
| Idaho | No | No | Idaho Code § 30-29-302 |
| Illinois | No | No | 805 ILCS 5/3.10 |
| Indiana | No | No | Ind. Code § 23-1-22-2(2) |
| Iowa | No | No | Iowa Code § 490.302 |
| Kansas | No | No | K.S.A. 17-6102(c) |
| Kentucky | No | No | KRS 271B.3-020(1)(b), (2) |
| Louisiana | No | No | La. R.S. 12:1-302 |
| Maine | No | No | 13-C M.R.S. § 302 |
| Maryland | No | No | Md. Code, Corps. & Ass'ns § 2-103(3) |
| Massachusetts | No | No | M.G.L. c. 156D, § 3.02 |
| Michigan | No | No | MCL 450.1261 |
| Minnesota | No | No | Minn. Stat. § 302A.161, subd. 15 |
| Mississippi | No | No | Miss. Code § 79-4-3.02 |
| Missouri | No | No | RSMo § 351.385 |
| Montana | No | No | MCA § 35-14-302 |
| Nebraska | No | No | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-227(2) |
| Nevada | No | No | NRS 78.065 |
| New Hampshire | No | No | RSA 293-A:3.02 |
| New Jersey | No | No | N.J.S.A. 14A:3-1 |
| New Mexico | No | No | NMSA § 53-11-4(C) |
| New York | No | No | N.Y. BCL § 202(a)(3) |
| North Carolina | No | No | N.C.G.S. § 55-3-02 |
| North Dakota | No | No | N.D.C.C. § 10-19.1-26 |
| Ohio | No | No | R.C. 1701.13 |
| Oklahoma | No | No | 18 O.S. § 1016 |
| Oregon | No | No | ORS 60.077 |
| Pennsylvania | No | No | 15 Pa.C.S. § 1502(a)(3); § 1506(b) |
| Rhode Island | No | No | R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-302 |
| South Carolina | No | No | S.C. Code § 33-3-102 |
| South Dakota | No | No | SDCL 47-1A-302 |
| Tennessee | No | No | Tenn. Code § 48-13-102 |
| Texas | No | No | Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 2.101(2) |
| Utah | No | No | Utah Code § 16-10a-302 |
| Vermont | No | No | 11A V.S.A. § 3.02 |
| Virginia | No | No | Va. Code § 13.1-627 |
| Washington | No | No | RCW 23B.03.020 |
| West Virginia | No | No | W. Va. Code § 31D-3-302 |
| Wisconsin | No | No | Wis. Stat. § 180.0302 |
| Wyoming | No | No | W.S. § 17-16-302 |
When you still need a seal
- Bank resolutions
- Real estate closings
- Stock certificates
- Foreign/apostille documents
- Lender and IRS forms some banks request
Seal vs. stamp
An embosser raises the paper; a self-inking stamp can be photocopied.
What goes on a seal
Exact name, state, year.
Disclaimer: informational only, not legal advice.