Free Virginia Notary Acknowledgment Template

A Virginia notary acknowledgment is a notarial act in which you appear in person and present a document at a single time and place. The notary knows or identifies you, and you indicate that you signed voluntarily for the document’s stated purposes (Va. Code § 47.1-2). Title 47.1 of the Code of Virginia governs it.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth commissions notaries for four-year terms, and each may act anywhere in Virginia.

Identification

Unless the notary knows you, they examine one of nine unexpired documents with your photo and signature. For example, these include a US passport or passport card, a foreign passport, or a green card with photo. A state driver’s license or ID card and a US military ID also qualify. Alternatively, credible witnesses can identify you under oath.

Notary Seal

The seal contains the notary’s name exactly as commissioned, “Notary Public,” and “Commonwealth of Virginia.” It also shows the commission expiration date and registration number. The notary affixes a sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible image of it near their signature.

Journal

Notaries keep a record of each notarial act for at least five years. Each entry notes the date and time, the type of act, and a description of the document. It also records your printed name and address, your ID type, and any fee.

Fees

A notary may charge up to $10 for each notarial act, or up to $25 for an electronic notarial act. Travel expenses need an agreement between you and the notary. Because fees can change, confirm them before your visit.

Incomplete Documents

A notary must refuse to notarize a document that’s incomplete.

Not by editing the certificate. According to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s handbook, there are no provisions in the law allowing correction of a completed notarial act.

Instead, the office recommends a new notarization if the notary discovers an error afterward. The notary also can’t strike through or white out information on their seal.

There’s some reassurance, though. The handbook notes that a notarial act is still valid if the notary fails to perform a duty or requirement. Even so, a clean new notarization avoids questions later.

Most Virginia appointments follow these steps.

1. Fill in the city or county, the date, and your name on the certificate.
2. Make sure the document itself has no blanks.
3. Bring one of the nine unexpired IDs Virginia accepts.
4. Appear before the notary and indicate you signed voluntarily.
5. The notary signs and adds their registration number and commission expiration date.
6. The notary affixes the seal near their signature.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s handbook gives a sample Virginia notary acknowledgment. First, it opens with “City/County of ___, Commonwealth of Virginia.” Then the key sentence follows: “The foregoing instrument was acknowledged and signed before me this ___ day of ___, 20__ by ___.”

The handbook also lists seven items every notarial certificate must contain:

• A notarial statement identifying the act
• The date the notary acts
• The county or city and state where it took place
• When the commission expires
• The notary’s original signature
• Their registration number
• A photographically reproducible seal

If the certificate is on a separate page, it must name both the signer and the document. Create your Virginia notary acknowledgment with Document Genius, and you’ll have all seven items in place.