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Free South Dakota Notary Acknowledgment Template

A South Dakota notary acknowledgment is the certificate a notary completes after you sign in their presence and confirm the signature is yours. Fill in the wording with our customizable template before you go.

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What Is a Notary Acknowledgment in South Dakota?

A South Dakota notary acknowledgment is a notarial act in which you personally appear and sign in front of the notary. You then verbally acknowledge that the signature is yours and voluntary. SDCL chapter 18-1 governs notaries, and the Secretary of State publishes a Notary Public Handbook, last updated in July 2025.

South Dakota Requirements for a Notary Acknowledgment

South Dakota notary commissions last six years, and a notary can act in any county while physically in the state.

Sign in Front of the Notary

According to the handbook, you must sign the document in the notary’s physical presence for the acknowledgment to be valid. So bring it unsigned.

Identification

For example, acceptable ID includes a driver’s license or nondriver ID, a tribal ID, a student ID, or a US passport. A US military ID or a federal immigration card, such as a green card, also works. Alternatively, a credible witness known to both you and the notary can identify you.

Notary Seal

In South Dakota, the seal can be an embosser or a rubber stamp, with no size or color rules. It must show the notary’s name exactly as filed, “Notary Public,” and “South Dakota,” inside a full border. Notably, “My Commission Expires” and the date can’t appear inside that border.

Fees

The handbook says a notary may charge a fee for each instrument notarized. However, a notary can’t charge for notarizing an absentee ballot request. Ask the notary for the amount first.

Commission Display

The handbook adds that a notary must have their commission certificate visible whenever they’re notarizing.

Can You Get a South Dakota Notary Acknowledgment by Video?

Only in limited cases. Under SDCL 18-1-11.1, a notary in South Dakota may notarize a paper document you sign on video only if they personally know you.

In that case, the certificate must state your remote location and your relationship to the notary. SDCL 18-4-29 provides a form that includes a blank for exactly that relationship. Afterward, the document travels by mail so the notary can add their signature to the original.

For electronic documents, an e-notary can use a tamper-evident system and two identity-proofing methods instead (SDCL 18-1-11.2). Here, the notary keeps an audio-visual copy for ten years.

Tip

Check the venue before the notary stamps it. The handbook says the venue is where the notarization actually happens, not where the notary lives, so a prefilled county may need correcting.

How to Sign a South Dakota Notary Acknowledgment

In person, a typical appointment runs like this.

  1. Bring the document unsigned, with no blank spaces in its body.
  2. Show your ID to the notary.
  3. Sign while the notary looks on.
  4. Tell the notary the signature is yours and that you signed voluntarily.
  5. The notary completes the venue and body of the certificate.
  6. The notary signs, applies the seal, and adds the full commission expiration date.

What to Include in a South Dakota Notary Acknowledgment

The Secretary of State’s handbook lists five parts every in-person certificate must contain. For a South Dakota notary acknowledgment, they are:

  • The venue, naming the county and state where the notarization takes place
  • The body, with your name, the date, and the acknowledgment wording
  • The notary’s wet signature, exactly as commissioned
  • A clear, legible impression of the notary’s seal
  • The full commission expiration date, including day, month, and year

Also, for a representative signature, the certificate must name the capacity you signed in and the party you signed for. Start your South Dakota notary acknowledgment with Document Genius so all five parts are ready.