Notary Handbook - the Montana Secretary of State Website

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As discussed in Chapter 2, the notarial act of taking an acknowledgement means that the person who may or may not
have already signed a document must personally appear before the notary and state (acknowledge) that he/she willingly
signed the document for the purposes for which it was intended. The notary does not have to actually see the person sign the
document, but does have to actually witness the person acknowledge the signature and verify that the signature on the
document is that of the signer. In taking an acknowledgement, the notary will do the following:
Identify the signer as the person who is supposed to sign the document
Verify that the signature on the document is the signer’s, either by watching them sign the
document, or if it has already been signed, by comparing the signature to one on the signer’s ID and
the signature made by the signer in the notary’s journal
Have the signer acknowledge that the signature is his or hers and that it was made knowingly and
willingly
Complete the notarial block
Examples of typical notary blocks for ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. This a simple, basic form that contains all nine required elements for a proper Montana notarial block:
State of Montana
County of __________________
This instrument was acknowledged before me on _______________ by __________________________.
Print name of signer(s)
Affix seal/stamp as close to
signature as possible.
_______________________________________
Notary Signature
[Montana notaries must complete the following,
if not part of stamp.]
_________________________________________
Printed Name
Notary Public for the state of _________________
Residing at________________________________
My Commission expires:___________, 20_______
2. This is a longer form; the only difference is it contains a longer written statement – all nine elements are
included:
State of Montana
County of __________________
On this ______ day of ________, _____, before me, a Notary Public for the State of
___________________, personally appeared ____________________, known to me to be the person
named in the foregoing, and acknowledged to me that ________________________ executed the same
as _______________ free act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notarial seal the day and year in
this certificate first above written.
Affix seal/stamp as close to
signature as possible.
________________________________________
Notary Signature
[Montana notaries must complete the following,
if not part of stamp.]
_________________________________________
Printed Name
Notary Public for the state of _________________
Residing at________________________________
My Commission expires:___________, 20_______
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