The purpose of an acknowledgment is for an affiant, whose identity has been verified, to declare to a notary public that he or she has willingly signed an affidavit.
An acknowledgment requires the following steps:
- The signer must physically appear before you.
- You as the notary must positively identify the signer according to your state’s rules.
- The signer may either sign the document before appearing before you, or in your presence.
- The signer must declare (acknowledge) signing the document for its intended purpose.
Unlike jurats, an acknowledgment does not need to be signed in the presence of a notary. However, the affiant does need to swear or affirm that they signed under their own free will.
It is highly recommended that any document that requires a notary seal be signed in front of the notary public to avoid any unnecessary mistakes or delays.