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Free Maryland Notary Acknowledgment Template

A Maryland notary acknowledgment is the certificate a notary completes to document that you appeared and acknowledged your signature. Get yours ready with our guided form, then finish with a Maryland notarial officer.

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What Is a Notary Acknowledgment in Maryland?

A Maryland notary acknowledgment is a notarial certificate recording that you appeared before a notarial officer and acknowledged a signature as yours. Since October 1, 2020, Maryland law requires a certificate for every notarial act.

Maryland Requirements for a Notary Acknowledgment

The Maryland Secretary of State answers common questions about the notary rules on its website.

Who Can Notarize

Notarial officers in Maryland are notaries public, judges, clerks and deputy clerks of Maryland courts, and court-appointed magistrates. Holding another professional license, such as a law license, doesn’t by itself make someone a notarial officer.

Where and in Which County

The Secretary of State commissions a Maryland resident in their county of residence, yet the notary may work anywhere in the state. However, the notary must be physically in Maryland at the time of the act. The certificate names the county where the notary is during the act, which may differ from the county of commission.

Official Stamp

For the stamp, a notary may use an ink stamp or an embosser, as long as the impression copies clearly with the record. It shows the notary’s name as commissioned, “Notary Public,” and the county or Baltimore City of commission. The expiration date also appears, unless it’s already part of the certificate.

Journal

Every notary keeps a journal of each act and retains it for 10 years. Entries include your name and address and the ID used, with its identification number. They also note the fee, or “no fee,” and whether you appeared in person or remotely.

Notary Fees

Under COMAR 01.02.08.02, effective January 22, 2024, a notary may charge up to $8 per notarial act or $30 per remote act. Travel can add IRS-rate mileage plus a travel fee of no more than $5. Confirm the fee first, since regulations can change.

Conflicts

A notary can’t act on a record in which they or their spouse is a party or has a direct beneficial interest. An act performed in violation of that rule is voidable.

Does a Maryland Notary Acknowledgment Need a Commission Number?

No. Maryland doesn’t issue commission numbers to its notaries. Instead, the Secretary of State identifies notaries by name, county of commission, and commission expiration date.

So if a form asks for a notary identification number, the Secretary of State tells notaries to write “n/a” in that blank. That’s worth knowing if someone out of state drafted your document using another state’s certificate.

What your Maryland notary acknowledgment does need is the county where the act took place. It also needs the notary’s name, county of commission, and expiration date.

Tip

Signing several copies of the same document at once? Maryland’s fee rule allows up to $8 for each signature on the original or first copy. For each additional copy signed at the same time, the cap drops to $4 per signature.

How to Sign a Maryland Notary Acknowledgment

A typical appointment follows these steps.

  1. Fill in “Maryland” and the county where the notary will be located.
  2. Bring a government-issued ID, since the notary records its details in the journal.
  3. Appear before the notary, or remotely through an authorized remote notary.
  4. Acknowledge that the signature on the document is yours.
  5. The notary completes the certificate, signs it, and applies the stamp.
  6. Confirm the fee, which can’t exceed $8 per act in person.

What to Include in a Maryland Notary Acknowledgment

Because every notarial act needs a certificate, the notary securely attaches one if your document doesn’t have it. For an acknowledgment, plan for:

  • “State of Maryland” and the county where the act takes place
  • The date and the name of the person acknowledging
  • A statement that the person acknowledged the signature before the notary
  • The notary’s signature and official stamp
  • The notary’s county of commission and commission expiration date

If a preprinted certificate lists the wrong state or county, the Secretary of State says the notary may correct those details. Build your Maryland notary acknowledgment with Document Genius before your appointment.