CA Notary Prep / California notary acknowledgment form

California notary acknowledgment form

Updated October 2026 · Based on the 2026 California Notary Public Handbook

California requires a specific acknowledgment certificate, set out in Civil Code §1189. If the wording or the boxed notice is wrong, the recorder can reject the document and the notary can be disciplined.

Short answer A California acknowledgment certificate must include the boxed consumer notice at the top, the venue (State of California, County of ___), the statutory wording, and the line certifying it under penalty of perjury, then the notary's signature and seal. The signer must personally appear, but may have signed beforehand.

The all-purpose acknowledgment wording (Civil Code §1189)

A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document.

State of California
County of ____________

On ____________ before me, ____________ (insert name and title of the officer), personally appeared ____________, who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.

I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing paragraph is true and correct.

WITNESS my hand and official seal.

Signature ____________ (Seal)

Compare any pre-printed form against the current text of Civil Code §1189 before using it.

The rules that come with it

Personal appearance is mandatory. Never complete a certificate for a mailed document, even for someone you know well.
Identity must be proven by satisfactory evidence: an accepted ID that is current or issued within the last 5 years, or credible witnesses. Personal knowledge alone is not enough.
The venue is the county where the signer personally appeared before you, not the county on your seal.
Complete it fully before signing and sealing. An incomplete acknowledgment is a ground for discipline and a civil penalty of up to $750.
A false certificate (willfully stating a material fact you know is false) carries a civil penalty of up to $10,000.
Journal: record the act, and take the signer's right thumbprint if the document affects real property or is a power of attorney.

The California jurat wording (Government Code §8202)

State of California
County of ____________

Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on this ____ day of ____________, 20__, by ____________, proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) who appeared before me.

Signature ____________ (Seal)

Acknowledgment or jurat?

Signed in front of the notary?	Acknowledgment: no, may be signed before. Jurat: yes.
Oath or affirmation?	Acknowledgment: no. Jurat: yes, the notary administers it.
Under penalty of perjury?	Acknowledgment: yes, the notary certifies under penalty of perjury. Jurat: not in the form.
Boxed consumer notice?	Both
Current maximum fee	$15 per signature (acknowledgment), $15 (jurat)

The notary chooses neither: the signer or the document decides which certificate is needed. A notary who picks one for the customer is giving legal advice, which is prohibited.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat in California?

With an acknowledgment, the signer may sign the document beforehand but must personally appear and acknowledge signing it; the certificate is signed under penalty of perjury. With a jurat, the signer must sign in front of the notary and take an oath or affirmation.

Does a California acknowledgment need the boxed notice?

Yes. Both the acknowledgment and the jurat must show, at the top and in an enclosed box, the notice that the notary verifies only the identity of the signer and not the truthfulness, accuracy or validity of the document.

Can a California notary use another state's acknowledgment form?

Yes, for a document to be filed in another US state, as long as the form does not require the notary to certify a representative capacity or make other determinations California law does not allow.

How much can a California notary charge for an acknowledgment?

Currently up to $15 per signature, including the seal and certificate. A reported increase to $20 is scheduled for January 1, 2027.