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Oregon Secretary of State

State Seal

The Oregon Constitution (Article VI, Section 3) designates the Oregon Secretary of State as the official keeper of the Oregon State Seal.

Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 186.023 governs use of the Oregon State Seal, as follows:

ORS 186.023

  1. Except as authorized by the Secretary of State, no person shall knowingly use any device, or possess any device capable of such use, to emboss upon a document the seal of the State of Oregon described in ORS 186.020.
  2. No person shall use any reproduction of the seal of the State of Oregon:
    1. In any manner falsely implying official indorsement or sponsorship by the State of Oregon or any of its agencies of any product, business, service or other activity; or
    2. In any manner that subjects or exposes the seal of the State of Oregon to ridicule, debasement or infamy. [1983 c.325 §1]

Oregon state seal with an eagle above a shield showing a wagon, mountains, ocean ships, and 33 stars, with State of Oregon and 1859 inscribed.  

To help Oregonians discern whether their intended use of the Oregon State Seal complies with this statute, guidelines for use of the seal have been set by the Secretary of State, as follows:

  1. All state and local government agencies and departments are entitled to use the state seal for official purposes.
  2. Elected officials are entitled to use the state seal in their official capacity, but not in their capacity as candidates for public office (i.e., in a publication paid for and/or authorized by a principal campaign committee).
  3. The state seal may be used in conjunction with the presentation of information about the State of Oregon. This can include, but is not limited to, use in encyclopedias, textbooks, dictionaries, and catalogues.
  4. The state seal may not be used in connection with a product, service, individual or organization if its use implies the endorsement or sponsorship of the State of Oregon.
  5. The state seal may not be used in connection with a product, service, individual or organization which would subject the seal to abuse through ridicule, debasement or infamy.
  6. These guidelines apply not only to the official state seal of Oregon but to any symbol which imitates or is confusingly similar in appearance to the official seal.


Questions about the appropriate use of the state seal, as well as any complaints of misuse of the state seal should be directed to Oregon Secretary of State Business Services Director, Michael Williams, at Michael.Williams@sos.oregon.gov. Civil penalties up to $500 will be assessed for violations of ORS 186.023 pursuant to ORS 186.025.