Free Idaho Notary Acknowledgment Template

An Idaho notary acknowledgment is the notary’s certificate confirming that you personally appeared and showed who you are. It also states that you acknowledged the signature on the document as yours. Idaho follows the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (2018), found in Title 51, Chapter 1 of the Idaho Code.

The Idaho Secretary of State commissions notaries and answers common questions about the law on its website.

Commission

In Idaho, commissions last six years. Notably, they aren’t renewed; instead, a notary re-applies for a new commission with a new bond.

Stamp and Certificate

First, the stamp must be inked, with a serrated or milled-edge border, in rectangular or circular form. It may carry only “Notary Public,” “State of Idaho,” the notary’s name as on their certificate, and their commission number. An optional expiration line is the one addition allowed. Under § 51-115, every certificate needs:

• The date of the act and the notary’s signature
• The jurisdiction where the act took place
• The notary’s commission expiration date
• The notary’s stamp

For the county, the notary enters where the act actually happens, not where they live.

Notary Fees

By statute, a notary may charge up to $5 per notarial act, plus actual and reasonable travel expenses (§ 51-133). Confirm the fee first, since statutory amounts can change.

Conflicts and Choice of Certificate

A notary can’t notarize for themselves, their spouse, or anyone signing a document in which the notary has a beneficial interest (§ 51-104). In addition, a notary who isn’t an attorney can’t decide which certificate you need (§ 51-125). Either you or the person who prepared the document must choose it.

Journals and Remote Acts

Idaho doesn’t require a notary journal, though the Secretary of State strongly recommends one. Before any electronic or remote notarization, a notary must file an amendment with the Secretary of State.

Yes, within limits. Under § 51-107, a passport, driver’s license, or government nondriver ID counts as satisfactory evidence if it’s current. It also qualifies if it expired no more than three years before the notarial act.

Besides those, other government IDs can work, provided they meet the same date rule, carry your signature or photo, and satisfy the notary. Otherwise, a credible witness who appears in person can vouch for you under oath. However, the notary must know that witness or identify them using the same ID rules.

Before an Idaho notary acknowledgment appointment, check your ID’s expiration date and count back three years from the day you’ll sign.

Once you’re prepared, the appointment moves quickly.

1. Choose the certificate you need, since the notary can’t pick it for you.
2. Fill in the county where the notary will act, along with your name.
3. Bring a qualifying ID, which may be expired up to three years.
4. Appear in person. You can sign beforehand, then acknowledge the signature as yours.
5. The notary signs, dates, adds the commission expiration date, and applies the stamp.
6. If the certificate is on a separate page, it must be securely attached to the document.

Section 51-116 provides short-form certificates that are sufficient once completed with the details § 51-115 requires. For a representative capacity, the short form also names the signer’s type of authority, such as officer or trustee, and whom they represented.

A few Idaho-specific points to cover:

• The county where the notarial act was performed
• The commission expiration date, which is required every time
• A statement that the act involved communication technology, if performed remotely under § 51-114A

Also, where the document has room, the Secretary of State says the certificate should go directly on it. Complete your Idaho notary acknowledgment with Document Genius before the appointment.