To fill out a Washington notary acknowledgment form, use one of the two short-form certificates set out in RCW 42.45.140: the individual version if you are signing for yourself, or the representative version if you are signing on behalf of a company, trust, or another person.1Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.140 – Short Form Certificates You complete the venue, date, and signer name fields; the notary completes everything below the signature line after verifying your identity in person. Washington does not publish a separate downloadable form because the statute itself is the form, which is why most title companies, attorneys, and notaries print the certificate directly onto or alongside the document being notarized.
Pick the Right Certificate First
Choosing the wrong capacity is one of the most common reasons a recorded document gets kicked back, so decide this before you fill in anything else.
Individual Capacity
Use this when you are signing as yourself — on a deed transferring your own property, a personal power of attorney, or any record where you are a party in your own name. The statutory text reads:
State of Washington
County of ___
This record was acknowledged before me on (date) by (name(s) of individuals).
(Signature of notary public)
(Stamp)
(Title of office)
My commission expires: (date)1Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.140 – Short Form Certificates
Representative Capacity
Use this when you are signing on behalf of a corporation, LLC, trust, or another person. The certificate adds your title and the entity’s name:
State of Washington
County of ___
This record was acknowledged before me on (date) by (name(s) of individuals) as (type of authority, such as officer or trustee) of (name of party on behalf of whom record was executed).
(Signature of notary public)
(Stamp)
(Title of office)
My commission expires: (date)1Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.140 – Short Form Certificates
If you are an LLC member signing a deed on behalf of the company, the certificate must name the LLC and describe your role. Using the individual-capacity certificate in that situation leaves the record without proof that the entity authorized the transaction.
What You Fill In Before the Notary Signs
Most of the certificate is the notary’s responsibility. The parts that typically get filled in by or with the signer are these:
- Venue (State and County). This is where the notarization takes place, not where you live or where the property sits. If you drive across a county line to reach a notary, the certificate lists that notary’s county.
- Date. The actual day of the appointment. Backdating or forward-dating a notarial certificate is not permitted.
- Name(s) of individual(s). Your full legal name, exactly as it appears on the ID you plan to bring. A mismatch gives the notary grounds to refuse.
- Representative details, if applicable. The type of authority you hold and the full legal name of the entity. For example, “Jane Doe as Managing Member of Doe Properties LLC.”
You can sign the underlying document before or during the appointment. For an acknowledgment, the notary does not need to watch you sign; they only need to confirm the signature on the record is yours and that you are acknowledging it voluntarily.2Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.040 – Authority to Perform Notarial Act Many notaries still prefer to witness the signature, so ask ahead if you want to sign in advance.
What to Bring for Identification
Washington recognizes three ways for a notary to confirm your identity.3Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 42.45.050 – Identification of Individual
The most common is a government-issued ID bearing your photograph and signature. A passport, Washington driver’s license, or state-issued nondriver ID card all qualify. Other government IDs, such as a military card or permanent resident card, also work as long as they include a photograph or a signature and the notary finds the document satisfactory. The ID can be expired, but not more than three years past its expiration date on the day of the act.3Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 42.45.050 – Identification of Individual
If the notary personally knows you, no ID is required. If you have no qualifying ID and the notary does not know you, a credible witness can bridge the gap: the witness must appear in person, personally know you, present their own valid ID, and swear or affirm to your identity under oath.3Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 42.45.050 – Identification of Individual
A notary can always ask for more identification than the minimum if they are not satisfied.4Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.050 – Identification of Individual If your only ID is borderline, bring a backup.
What the Notary Fills In
You appear in person before the notary. Washington requires you to be in the same room at the time of the act for a traditional notarization; video calls do not count.5Washington State Department of Licensing. Physical Presence The notary checks your ID, confirms the signature is yours, and may ask whether you signed voluntarily. A notary has authority to refuse the act if they believe you lack the capacity to understand what you are signing or that your signature was not given knowingly.6Washington State Legislature. Chapter 42.45 RCW – Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts – Section 42.45.060
Once satisfied, the notary completes the lower portion of the certificate. The certificate must be executed at the time of the notarial act and identify the jurisdiction, the notary’s title of office, and the commission expiration date.7Washington State Legislature. Chapter 42.45 RCW – Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts – Section 42.45.130 The notary signs using the signature on file with the Department of Licensing, then applies the official stamp. Every Washington notary stamp must include the words “notary public,” the words “state of Washington,” the notary’s name as commissioned, and the commission expiration date.8Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.150 – Official Stamp The stamp must be legible and must photocopy cleanly with the record. A notary cannot stamp an incomplete certificate; every blank must be filled in first.
Before the appointment ends, scan the certificate yourself. If any field is blank, point it out. A missing county, date, or expiration date can send the document back from the recorder’s office.
If You Cannot Appear in Person
Washington does allow acknowledgments to be performed remotely using audio-visual technology, but only by notaries who hold a remote notary endorsement on top of their standard commission and electronic records endorsement. Ask before scheduling. During a remote session, the notary verifies your identity through remote presentation of a government-issued photo ID combined with third-party credential analysis and identity proofing, and the session is recorded on audio and video.9Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.280 – Electronic Records Notary Public The certificate for a remote act must note that communication technology was used.7Washington State Legislature. Chapter 42.45 RCW – Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts – Section 42.45.130
After the Certificate Is Signed
Once the certificate carries the notary’s signature and stamp, the document is ready for its intended use. For deeds, deeds of trust, and other real property instruments, the next step is usually recording with the county auditor’s office in the county where the property is located. Each county sets its own recording fees and formatting requirements, so confirm those before submitting.
Keep at least one copy of the fully executed document, including the completed acknowledgment certificate, before sending the original for recording. If a question about the notarization comes up later, your copy and the notary’s journal entry are the two records that can resolve it. Washington notaries are required to log every act in a journal, including the date and time, a description of the record, your name and address, how your identity was established, details about the ID presented, and the fee charged.10Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.45.180 – Journal That is why the notary will note your address and examine your ID closely even after they have already decided you are who you say you are.