Do I need a seal for my company?

If you have set up a company or are thinking of setting up a company you may be wondering if you require a company seal? Well the short answer according the to Companies Act 2014 is yes you do. There are on average 40,000 new companies set up each year in Ireland. In this post we will give you a little more information on company seals.

So what is a company seal?

When asking most people what a company seal is, I get the standard response ‘Is it one of those stampy things for signing off documents?’ along with with a few more imaginative comments regarding a seal in a suit with a briefcase. A company seal certainly doesn’t take the form of the latter and should definitely not be placed in water!

It is in fact a way of emboss stamping a document for legal purposes. The seal is normally used in contract, company or property law but can be used in a number of other situations. It works by using either two metal or plastic plates pressed together on a sheet of paper to give an indented impression. These seals go by a number of names like embossing seal, company seal, pliers seal or the common seal. Again if you google that latter don’t expect to see anything other than a fish eating mammal.

Who is permitted to use a company seal?company seal impression

Usually company seals are used by directors of a company. However secretaries and power of attorneys who are permitted to act on behalf of a company and that have been authorised by a committee of directors are usually allowed to use a company seal.

What information should I put on my company seal?

The information required for most company seals are usually the company name and registration number. People can find this information on the company registration office website. The top line of the seal will have the company name and the bottom line will have the registration number. Some people do add their company logo to the centre of the seal although some logos are unsuitable.

Where can I buy one?

You can purchase a company seal by clicking on this link. Customers can easily add their text (Company name and registration number) as well as logo if need be. You can also upload artwork if you have it to hand.