Statutory Form Acknowledgment

Statutory forms for acknowledgment of instruments are set out in T.C.A. § 66-22-107 (for natural persons) and T.C.A. § 66‑22‑108 (for partnerships and corporations) and T.C.A. § 66‑22‑114 (another general form).  A basic form for acknowledgment of instruments signed by a natural person is as follows T.C.A. § 66-22-107:

State of __________________

County of _________________

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.

Witness my hand, at office, this _____ day of ____________, 20___.

Although the exact language of the forms is recommended, acknowledgments complying with the substance thereof are valid. T.C.A. § 66-22-114.

In using the above quoted forms, the notary should make certain the proper pronoun, he, she, they, etc., is used.  So far as possible, there should be no changes or alterations in the body of the acknowledgment; but should they be required, the notary should initial such changes wherever they appear.

The expiration date of the notary’s commission must appear on every certificate of acknowledgment.  However, failure to include the expiration date does not invalidate the instrument.  T.C.A. § 8-16-115.