A Texas notary acknowledgment form validates the authenticity of a client’s signature. The notary public fills out this document by including the acknowledgment’s date and location and the name of the signatory who wants to confirm their identity.
A notary public confirms the individual’s identity by examining the identification they present. Once they can verify the signatory’s identity, the signer must confirm they’ve executed the document for its intended purposes. The notary public can finalize the document once they’ve completed all necessary steps to ensure its legitimacy.
Legal Considerations
Statute: TX Statutes Title 6, Chapter 121.
Form of Acknowledgement: Under § 121.008, the form must specify whether the signatory is an individual acting in their own right, an LLC, an individual acting as an attorney-in-fact, a partnership, a corporation, or a public officer.
Notary Term of Commission: Four years (§ 406.002).
Notary Handbook: The Texas Secretary of State provides Educational Information for Notary Publics, including the state’s guidelines for recordkeeping and seals.
Is Online Notarization Legal in Texas?
Yes. The state passed Senate Bill 2128 in September 2019, which allows notaries and signatories to submit online signatures. The notary public must still verify the signing party’s identity by reviewing their government-issued ID card.
Laws: Chapter 406, Subchapter C (Online Notary Public).
How to Notarize
Step 1 – Find a Notary
Visit a local financial institution to determine if it offers notary services. For example, you can visit Wells Fargo, which has hundreds of banks in the state. You can also visit Texas Trust Credit Union for notary services.
Step 2 – Bring Your Document
Prepare your document, whether it’s a medical power of attorney, consent form, or another form requiring notarization. Input all your information and complete all necessary fields.
Step 3 – Appear Before the Notary
Prepare to pay between $1 and $10, as these are the fees that state law establishes depending on the service you seek (§ 406.024).
Present your identity so they can verify who you are. If the notary knows you personally, you may not have to show a government-issued ID card.
Step 4 – Sign the Form
Provide your signature if you haven’t already signed the document. If you have signed it, swear that the signature is your own.
How to Verify a Notary
- Navigate to the Texas Secretary of State’s Notary Search page.
- Survey the empty fields and decide how to conduct your search. Enter information into at least one of the fields, which are “Notary Identification Number,” “First Name,” “Middle Name,” “Last Name,” “ZIP Code,” and “County.”
- Analyze the results and click on your notary of interest to verify their status.
How to Write (for Notary)
- Download a notary acknowledgment form as a PDF or Word file.
- Enter the following details:
- County of acknowledgment
- Day, month, and year of acknowledgment
- Your name as the notary public
- The document signer’s name
- Satisfactory evidence of identification
- Who the signer is signing for
- The original document you’re notarizing
- Sign and print your name. Write your title, if applicable, provide your notary registration number, and detail when your commission expires.
