Free Tennessee Notary Acknowledgment Template

A Tennessee notary acknowledgment is a certificate stating that you personally appeared and acknowledged executing an instrument for the purposes it contains. Title 66, Chapter 22 of the Tennessee Code Annotated sets out the forms, while Title 8, Chapter 16 governs notaries.

A Tennessee notary’s term of office is four years, according to the Secretary of State.

Commission Expiration Date

Under T.C.A. § 8-16-115, the true expiration date of the notary’s commission belongs on every certificate of acknowledgment. Leaving it off doesn’t invalidate the instrument, however.

Ink Color

Tennessee notaries must imprint their seal in a color other than black or yellow. It also has to be clearly legible and appear black when copied on a non-color copier.

Fees

Tennessee sets no specific dollar cap. Instead, T.C.A. § 8-21-1201 entitles notaries to demand and receive reasonable fees and compensation for their services. So ask the notary what they charge before the appointment.

Records

If a notary or their employer charges a fee, the notary must keep a record in a well-bound book. According to the Secretary of State, entries include the date, the signer’s name, and how the notary identified the signer. They also record the fee received.

Wording Flexibility

Officials recommend the exact statutory language. Still, an acknowledgment that complies with the substance of the forms is valid (T.C.A. § 66-22-114).

It’s because each Tennessee notary is tied to the county that elected them. The county legislative body elects notaries, and the Secretary of State then prepares the commission.

That’s why the Secretary of State prescribes a circular seal. It shows the notary’s name at the top and the county of election at the bottom. The center reads “State of Tennessee Notary Public” or “Tennessee Notary Public.”

So the seal’s county shows where the county body elected the notary, which may differ from where you sign. However, the venue on your certificate should still name the county where the acknowledgment actually takes place.

Most appointments follow these steps.

1. Choose the § 66-22-107 form for a natural person acting in their own right, or by attorney.
2. Fill in the state, county, date, and your name.
3. Bring identification, unless the notary personally knows you.
4. Acknowledge to the notary, in person, that you executed the instrument.
5. The notary signs and adds the true commission expiration date.
6. The notary applies the seal in a color other than black or yellow.

T.C.A. § 66-22-107 provides the basic Tennessee notary acknowledgment for a natural person. After “State of” and “County of” lines, the core sentence is long: “Personally appeared before me, [name of officer], [official capacity of officer], [name of the natural person executing the instrument], the within named bargainor, with whom I am personally acquainted (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence), and who acknowledged that such person executed the within instrument for the purposes therein contained.”

The form closes with “Witness my hand, at office,” and the date. Around it, include:

• The notary’s signature and official seal
• The true date the commission expires

Section 66-22-107 also offers alternatives. One covers a person acting in their own right with “free act and deed” wording, and another covers a person acting by attorney. Build your Tennessee notary acknowledgment with Document Genius so the statutory wording is ready.