Free Missouri Notary Acknowledgment Template

A Missouri notary acknowledgment is a notarial certificate: the part of, or attachment to, a document that the notary completes, signs, and seals. Under RSMo 486.600, it states the date, the venue, and the facts the notary attests to. Chapter 486 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri governs it.

The Missouri Secretary of State commissions notaries for four-year terms and answers common questions in its notary FAQ.

Official Seal

Every notary keeps an official seal. According to the Secretary of State, it shows the notary’s name exactly as commissioned and the commission number. It also carries “Notary Public,” “Notary Seal,” “State of Missouri,” and “My commission expires” with the date. A notary may add an embossed impression, but it can’t replace the seal. Also, the notary can’t place the seal over printed or written matter.

Journal

Missouri notaries must keep one active, permanently bound journal with numbered pages and retain it for at least 10 years. Each entry records the date and time, the type of act and document, and your signature, printed name, and address. However, a notary may not write a Social Security or credit card number in the journal (RSMo 486.705).

Identification

The Secretary of State recommends a government-issued ID with your photo and signature, such as a driver’s license or passport. Ultimately, the notary decides what proves your identity to their satisfaction.

Fees

For an acknowledgment, a notary may charge up to $5 per signature (RSMo 486.685). A notary may add a travel fee only if you agree to it in advance and they explain that it’s separate from the notarial fee. Fees can change, so confirm them before you book.

Relatives

A notary can’t notarize for their spouse, domestic partner, ancestor, descendant, or sibling. That includes in-law, step, and half relatives.

Not by phone. The Secretary of State’s answer is simply no. A webcam doesn’t work either, unless the notary uses Missouri’s remote online notarization process under RSMo 486.1100 to 486.1205.

For a standard paper acknowledgment, the rules assume you’re in the room. Under RSMo 486.660, a notary can’t sign or seal a certificate except at the time of notarization and in the principal’s presence. Likewise, the notary can’t send a signed or sealed certificate to someone to complete or attach later.

So if you can’t meet in person, ask whether the notary has registered for remote online notarization before you schedule anything.

A Missouri notary acknowledgment usually takes one short visit.

1. Complete the venue, your name, and the date line on the certificate.
2. Bring a photo ID with your signature, like a driver’s license or passport.
3. Appear in person before the notary.
4. Acknowledge your signature and sign the notary’s journal.
5. The notary signs the certificate and applies the official seal during the visit.
6. If the certificate is a separate page, the notary staples it to your document.

RSMo 486.740 lists what every notarial certificate must contain. For a Missouri notary acknowledgment, that includes:

• The venue, naming the State of Missouri and the county where the notary is located
• The date of the notarial act
• Wording that states the facts the notary is attesting to
• The notary’s official signature
• An impression of the notary’s official seal

A loose certificate has its own rules under RSMo 486.745. The notary must staple or attach it in a way that shows any later removal. If it’s the same size as the signature page, it goes right after that page. When it’s smaller, it goes on the front of the signature page instead. Every required element also has to fit on that one sheet. Use Document Genius to build a certificate that’s ready for the notary’s seal.