FOR REFERENCE ONLY Stamp for PDF: Free PNG Downloads
By StampAPDF · Updated · How we write guides
Download a free FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp image below in red, blue, or black. Each PNG has a transparent background and two lines of text.
A FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp tells the reader that a document is for information. The reader must not build from it, order from it, or treat it as the controlled version.
Download a free FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp PNG
Choose red, blue, or black. Each image is a 1,200 × 480 px PNG with a transparent background. No signup or email required.
Created by StampAPDF. You may download, modify, and use these templates for personal or business documents without attribution.
When to use a FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp
- Drawings and specifications: Mark a drawing that you share for context when it is not the issued revision.
- Superseded documents: Mark an old price list, policy, or procedure that you keep for history.
- Printed copies of controlled documents: Mark an export from a document system, because the system holds the current version and the export can go out of date.
- Samples and templates: Mark an example contract or form that shows the layout but must not be signed.
Where to put the stamp
- Put the stamp near the title block on a drawing, or at the top of the first page on a document.
- Do not cover dimensions, revision tables, or notes.
- Stamp each sheet of a drawing set. Sheets are often used one at a time.
- Add the name of the current version in the file name or the cover email, so the reader knows where to find it.
Add the FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp to a PDF
- Download one of the PNG files above.
- Open the Stamp & Sign tool and choose your PDF. The PDF is opened in your browser and is not uploaded.
- Select Use your own image on this device and pick the PNG. The image also stays on your device.
- Tap the page where the stamp belongs, or use Place in center. Drag the stamp, and resize it with the corner handle or the Stamp width slider.
- Choose Download stamped PDF. The new file has -stamped in its name, and the original is not changed.
Mark every page instead
For a long manual or procedure, a text mark on every page is usually better than one stamp, because single pages are often printed and pinned up. Use the watermark tool for that, or read How to stamp all pages of a PDF.
What the stamp does not do
The stamp is a notice to the reader. It does not replace your document control process. It does not show which version is current, and it does not stop a person from using the file.
More free PDF stamps
The free PDF stamp library has every stamp on one page. These use the same size and the same three colors:
Frequently asked questions
▸Where can I get a FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp for a PDF for free?
Download one of the three free FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp PNGs on this page: red, blue, or black, each 1,200 × 480 pixels with a transparent background. No signup or email is needed.
▸What does FOR REFERENCE ONLY mean on a document?
It means the document is supplied for information. It is not the approved or controlled version, and it must not be used as the basis for building, ordering, or signing.
▸How do I add a FOR REFERENCE ONLY stamp to a PDF?
Download the PNG, open Stamp & Sign, and choose your PDF. Select Use your own image on this device and pick the PNG. Tap the page to place the stamp, drag and resize it, then choose Download stamped PDF.
▸Can I put the stamp on every sheet at once?
The stamp tool places one image for each click, so repeat it for each sheet. To put a text mark on every page in one action, use the watermark tool.