Self-inking date stamp, with a date that sets itself

The date bands are the whole point of a self-inking date stamp, and they are also its weak spot: somebody has to turn them, every morning, and the day nobody does is the day a hundred documents get stamped with yesterday. A received stamp exists to record when something arrived, so a date that is quietly wrong is worse than no date at all. Build the date stamp here and the date fills itself in at the moment the stamp is used, and in the Microsoft Word download it is a live field that reads today every time the document is opened, not a picture of a date.

Open the stamp maker → · Design a stamp free

What you get

Self-inking date stamp, with a date that sets itself

  1. Open the free stamp maker and pick a shape, round seal, oval, rectangle, octagon or triangle, or start from a ready-made template.
  2. Type your text around the border and in the centre, then set the colour, border style and font. Add a date, a time, a serial number, a logo or a signature line, and size and position each one.
  3. Preview the stamp live as you edit, what you see is exactly what you get.
  4. Download it as a transparent PNG or SVG, as a Word file that keeps the date, time and serial as retypable text, or all six formats in one zip. Or use Sign & Stamp to drop it straight onto a PDF and seal the document.

Ready? Open the stamp maker now, free to design, pay only to download.

Frequently asked questions

How is this better than turning the date bands?

It removes the step that gets forgotten. A self-inking date stamp is only right if somebody sets it every morning, and the cost of missing it is not cosmetic: a received stamp that says the wrong day is a record that says the wrong thing. Here the date is filled in at the moment the stamp is applied, so it is right without anybody remembering.

Does the date really update by itself in Word?

Yes. The Word file carries a real DATE field, the same mechanism Word uses for its own date, so it reads today every time the document is opened, rather than the day you downloaded it. The time works the same way. If you would rather it recorded one specific day and stayed there, untick that option at download, or press Ctrl+Shift+F9 in Word to freeze it.

Can I set a fixed date instead?

Yes. Type the date into the designer and it stays exactly as typed, on every impression, which is what you want for a stamp that records one particular day, such as a resolution or an incorporation date. A date you have typed is never turned into a self-updating field.

Can it show a time as well?

Yes. Click + Time and a time line is added the same way as a date, in 24-hour, 12-hour with am/pm, or with seconds. On a tender deadline or a court filing that is the difference that matters, and a physical date stamp does not carry it at all.

Is a self ink date stamp the same as a self-inking date stamp?

Yes, spelled two ways: a self ink stamp and a self-inking stamp both mean a body with the pad built in. The dated version adds rubber bands for the day, month and year that you turn by hand. This builds the same stamp as a file, with the turning done for you.

Is the stamp maker free?

Yes, designing your stamp is completely free with no account. You preview it live and only pay when you download ($1.50 per stamp pay-as-you-go, or unlimited downloads on any paid plan). a self-inking date stamp online works the same way.

Do I need to install an app?

No. Everything runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, no app, plugin or download required. Your stamp is generated as a crisp, transparent image you can drop onto any PDF.

Can I put the stamp on a PDF?

Yes. Download the stamp as a transparent PNG/SVG and place it anywhere, or use Sign & Stamp to drop it straight onto a PDF, seal the document, and get a QR-verifiable copy.

Are the stamps verifiable?

On a paid plan every stamp you apply can carry a serial number and a public QR verification page, so anyone can scan it and confirm the seal is genuine, who issued it, and whether it has been revoked.

What PDF Verified is, and what it is not

PDF Verified is a tool for preparing, signing, stamping and checking documents. It is not a law firm, a compliance service or a forensic examiner, and nothing here is legal, financial or compliance advice. Requirements differ by country, by document type and by the party asking, so check what applies to your document before you rely on it, and take advice where the document matters. You are responsible for the documents you create, sign and send, and for having the authority to do so: signing or stamping in somebody else name, or as an organisation you do not represent, is forgery whatever tool is used. To the extent the law allows, we accept no liability for how a document made with this tool is used or relied on. The full position is in our terms of service.

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