A Massachusetts notary acknowledgement is a written certificate in which a notary public states that the signer personally appeared and acknowledged signing the document voluntarily for its stated purpose. The wording comes from Massachusetts General Laws chapter 222, section 15.[1] This page gives you a free template that follows it. It is not a Massachusetts notary application or renewal form.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Massachusetts law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Massachusetts sets the notary acknowledgement certificate in Massachusetts General Laws chapter 222, section 15. A notary public takes the acknowledgment of a signature or mark by using substantially the statutory form. That holds whether the person signs for themselves or in a representative capacity. The certificate ends with a line for the official signature and seal of the notary public.[1]
A notary public shall take the acknowledgment of the signature or mark of persons acknowledging for themselves or in any representative capacity by using substantially the following form:
Under that wording, the certificate records these points about the person who signed:[1]
Massachusetts law gives two certificate forms that look alike but do different jobs. An acknowledgment certificate covers a person who acknowledges a signature or mark. A jurat certificate covers a signature or mark on an affidavit or other sworn or affirmed written declaration.[1]
| Point | Acknowledgment certificate | Jurat certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | A signature or mark acknowledged by a person for themselves or in a representative capacity | A signature or mark on a sworn or affirmed written declaration |
| Signer | Personally appeared and proved identity through satisfactory evidence of identification | Personally appeared and proved identity through satisfactory evidence of identification |
| What the signer did | Acknowledged signing it voluntarily for its stated purpose | Signed in the notary's presence and swore or affirmed that the contents are truthful and accurate to the best of their knowledge and belief |
| Ends with | Official signature and seal of the notary public | Official signature and seal of the notary public |
A Massachusetts notary does not have to use the statutory forms in every case. The statute names two situations where another form of acknowledgment, jurat, signature witnessing or copy certification is fine.[1]
Where a law or regulation sets an equivalent form, the statutory forms may still be used in its place, unless that law expressly prohibits other forms.[1]
Getting a document notarized in Massachusetts usually takes one short visit to a notary public. The steps below walk you through that visit. The next section shows how the acknowledgment form itself is filled in.
The FormsPal template reproduces the statutory acknowledgment wording on page 1 and quotes the same certificate again on page 2. Each step below matches one part of the form. The notary completes the certificate and adds the official signature and seal.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Massachusetts notary acknowledgement template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
Need a different state? Browse all notary acknowledgement forms. Other Massachusetts templates on FormsPal include a Massachusetts power of attorney, a Massachusetts bill of sale and a Massachusetts living will. You can also browse the affidavit forms library.
Yes. Massachusetts General Laws chapter 222, section 15 sets out a certificate form for a person who acknowledges a document in their own right. The officer who takes the acknowledgment certifies it in writing on that form.[1]
An acknowledgment certificate covers a person who acknowledges signing a document for its stated purpose. A jurat certificate covers a signature on an affidavit or other sworn or affirmed written declaration, where the signer swears or affirms that the contents are truthful. Both end with the official signature and seal of the notary public.[1]
No. The statute does not require its forms in these cases:[1]
No. This template is a notary acknowledgement certificate. It is not a Massachusetts notary application or renewal form.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
