Official stamp of the authority

What is the OFFICIAL STAMP OF THE AUTHORITY?

Keywords: authorized person, round stamp, one-color, state emblem, czech stamp authority

The requirements of an official stamp are regulated in Czech law by Section 6 of Act No. 352/2001 Coll., on the use of the state symbols of the Czech Republic.

(1) The stamp bearing the small State emblem shall be round in shape, 20 mm, 25 mm or 36 mm in diameter; the small State emblem shall be depicted inside a circle, the circumference of which shall bear the name of the authorised person, or, where appropriate, the name of his organisational unit and registered office (hereinafter referred to as the 'official stamp'). If the authorised person uses more than one official stamp, these stamps shall also contain serial numbers. The impression of the official stamp shall be in one colour. 
(2) The official stamp shall not contain the large State emblem.

Basic rules for official stamps:

- they are used with diameters of 20, 25 or 36 mm
- the stamp shall include the national emblem, the name of the authorised person or, where appropriate, the organisation or its registered office
- these stamps bearing the national emblem must always be numbered
- the impression of the official stamp shall be monochrome

Examples of official stamps of the authority:

Recommendations for CZECH municipal and city authorities:

When using stamps on public contracts, it is recommended to follow the legal regulation, i.e. Act No. 352/2001 Coll., on the use of the state symbols of the Czech Republic and on the amendment of certain acts, as amended. According to this Act, local self-government units (including municipalities) are entitled or obliged to use the state emblem only when exercising their delegated powers. When exercising their autonomous competences, municipalities or their bodies cannot use a small state emblem, as this is not the exercise of state power, but the exercise of self-government, in which municipalities act on their own behalf and on their own responsibility. In the case of the conclusion of a public law contract, it is always an independent competence of the municipality, even in cases of conclusion of public law contracts for the exercise of delegated competence. These contracts should therefore not bear a stamp with a small state emblem. Similarly, such stamps should not appear on the minutes of meetings of the municipal council and the municipal council and extracts from the resolutions of those bodies, nor on applications for consent to a public law contract. Municipalities may use the municipal stamp against this in the exercise of their autonomous powers (provisions of Article 111(5) of Act No. 128/2001 Coll., the Municipal Act). This may be a so-called square stamp with text corresponding to the provisions of Section 111(1) and (3) of Act No 128/2001 Coll., on Municipalities, or a round stamp with or without the municipality's emblem.