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Notary Acknowledgment Forms

Updated on May 18th, 2023

A notary acknowledgment is a sworn statement made by a notary public that acknowledges an individual’s signature is valid and was inscribed without coercion. These forms are used to prove the notary positively identified the signing party, making the document legitimate and legally binding. A notary acknowledgment includes the name of the signatory, the date, the notary’s signature, and their seal.

Is Online Notarization Legal?

Yes, it is legal to notarize a document in 45 States.

It is not legal in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Oregon, or Massachusetts (in addition to Washington D.C.).

By State

Contents

Purpose of a Notary Public

A notary public is an officer appointed by a government body, typically the secretary of state, to act as an impartial witness to the signing of legal documents. Their purpose is to confirm the identities of the signing parties and ensure they all signed of their own free will.

Notaries are tasked with other duties, depending on the state where they are commissioned. They may be called upon to administer oaths and affirmations, authenticate copies of documents, witness the opening of safety deposit boxes, and perform other legal and business assignments that necessitate a ministerial official.

How to Notarize a Document

Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument

Step 1 – Appointment

An appointment can be made with a notary public through banks, law firms, post offices and courier services, libraries, government offices, and other locations. Alternatively, a notary can be located by providing a zip code on the American Society of Notaries website.

Step 2 – Identification

Whether the appointment is online or in person, the signatory must present the document to be notarized and valid forms of identification (e.g., driver’s license, passport, etc.) for the notary to review. Unless the notary knows the signatory personally, they will verify the provided pieces of identification.

Step 3 – Signatures

The notary will look over the document briefly to ascertain what type of notarization is required and check for blank spaces (to prevent fraudulent future alterations). Once they are satisfied, they will witness the individual sign the document.

Step 4 – Acknowledgment

After witnessing the signature, the notary will complete the acknowledgment form, which will contain the date, their signature, and their official seal. They will record the entry in their journal, as most states either require or recommend maintaining records of all notarizations.

Online Notarization Laws: By State

STATE ONLINE NOTARIZATION? STATUTE FORM
Alabama Yes § 36-20-73.1 PDF
Alaska Yes § 44.50.075 PDF
Arizona Yes § 41-263 PDF
Arkansas Yes § 21-14-309 PDF
California No N/A PDF
Colorado Yes § 54-24-514.5 PDF
Connecticut No N/A PDF
Delaware No N/A PDF
Florida Yes Chapter 117, Part II PDF
Georgia Yes Rule 560-1-1-.14 PDF
Hawaii Yes § 456-23 PDF
Idaho Yes § 51-114A PDF
Illinois Yes § 6-102.5 PDF
Indiana Yes § 32-42-17-10 PDF
Iowa Yes § 9B.14A PDF
Kansas Yes § 53-5a15 PDF
Kentucky Yes § 423.455 PDF
Louisiana Yes § 623 PDF
Maine Yes § 961 PDF
Maryland Yes § 18–214 PDF
Massachusetts No N/A PDF
Michigan Yes § 55.286c PDF
Minnesota Yes § 358.645 PDF
Mississippi Yes Executive Order 1467, PDF
Missouri Yes §§ 486.1100 – 486.1250 PDF
Montana Yes § 1-5-603 PDF
Nebraska Yes § 64-408 PDF
Nevada Yes NRS 240.181 – 240.206 PDF
New Hampshire Yes § 456-B:6-a PDF
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania Yes § 306.1 and § 320 PDF
Rhode Island Yes § 42-30.1-12.1 and § 42-30.1-12.2 PDF
South Carolina Yes § 26-2-5 PDF
South Dakota Yes § 18-1-11.1 PDF
Tennessee Yes § 8-16-307 PDF
Texas Yes § 406.106 PDF
Utah Yes § 46-4-205 PDF
Vermont Yes § 47.1-6.1 PDF
Virginia Yes § 5379 PDF
Washington Yes  § 42.45.280 PDF
West Virginia Yes § 39-4-37 PDF
Wisconsin Yes § 140.145 PDF
Wyoming Yes § 32-3-114(c), (d) PDF

Sample