State Seal of Texas
There shall be a Seal of the State which shall be kept by the secretary of state, and used by him officially under the direction of the governor. The Seal of the State shall be a star of five points, encircled by olive and live oak branches, and the words, "The State of Texas."— Texas Constitution, article IV, section 19.
Obverse of State Seal |
State Arms |
Reverse of State Seal |
Use
The state seal is required by law to be affixed to numerous documents, such as commissions for elected and appointed state and local officials; patents for land from the state; executive acts of the governor in criminal cases such as remissions of fines, reprieves, commutations of punishment, extraditions, and pardons; state bonds; and all official documents issued from the office of the secretary of state. The state arms and reverse of the state seal are used exclusively as symbols of the state and do not have any independent legal significance.
Private use of the state seal, including the state arms and reverse of the state seal, is regulated by law. The state seal may be used for commercial purposes only if a license is obtained from the secretary of state and royalties are paid to the state. Persons seeking more information on private use of the state seal should contact the office of the secretary of state. Additionally, it is a criminal offense for a person other than a political officeholder knowingly to use a representation of the state seal in political advertising.
Request a copy of the state seal
Articles & Publications
- Seal of Approval: An Op-Ed authored by the Honorable Gwyn Shea, former Texas Secretary of State (May 12, 2003)
- The Texas State Seal: A pamphlet published by the Office of the Secretary of State (Oct. 1993)