An Ohio notary acknowledgement is a written certificate in which a notary public records that a signer acknowledged a document before the notary. Section 147.55 of the Ohio Revised Code sets out certificate wording for individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, attorneys in fact and public officers, and says these forms are sufficient for their purposes.[2] This free FormsPal template lets you fill in that wording online or download it.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Ohio law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Before filling out or signing any printable notary form, it is recommended to check whether it requires notarization.
Ohio law gives six ready-made acknowledgment forms, one for each kind of signer. Section 147.55 of the Ohio Revised Code sets out these forms, and a notary can use any of them. The statute says the forms may be used and are sufficient for their purposes under any section of the Revised Code.[2] There is one form for each kind of signer, and the wording changes with who is acknowledging.
| Who is acknowledging | What the certificate names |
|---|---|
| An individual acting in their own right | The name of the person acknowledging |
| A corporation | The officer or agent and their title, the corporation, and its state or place of incorporation |
| A limited liability company | The member or managing member and their title, the company, and its jurisdiction of formation |
| A partnership | The acknowledging partner or agent and the partnership |
| An individual acting as principal through an attorney in fact | The attorney in fact and the principal |
| A public officer, trustee or personal representative | The name and the title of the position |
The authorization of these forms does not preclude the use of other forms. A notary is not limited to the wording in the table.[2]
An Ohio notarial certificate must show the items listed in Ohio Rev. Code 147.542(F), and each one is filled in by the notary rather than the signer. The statute says a notarial certificate must show all of the following information, which includes:
The notary completes these items, not the signer. Before you leave, read the finished certificate and ask the notary to correct any blank or mistake. Keep a copy of the notarized pages for your records.
No. The acknowledgement is the notary's certificate, and it is separate from the form or contract you sign. You sign your own paper first, and the notary then completes the certificate that goes with it. This template gives you that certificate wording, so a notary can use it with the paper that needs one.
Many Ohio forms, such as an Ohio living will or an Ohio power of attorney, ask for a notary. Look at the end of your paper to see whether it has a notary block or asks for a separate certificate. A notary can also tell you which kind of signer you are and which of the six wordings fits.
Getting a document notarized in Ohio usually takes one short visit to a notary public. The steps below walk you through that visit. The next section shows how the acknowledgment template itself is filled in.
Remote notarization has been allowed in the state since September 2019. Under section 147.64 of the Ohio Revised Code, which took effect on September 20, 2019, an online notary public has the authority to perform notarial acts as online notarizations.[3]
The FormsPal template has two sheets. The first is a general acknowledgment with blanks for the place, date and names. The second holds six certificates, one for each kind of signer in the table above. Use only the one that matches who is signing, and let the notary public complete it. You can fill in the downloaded PDF with our online PDF editor.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Ohio 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.
Bring the finished pages and the paper you are signing to the notary. Leave the Signature line next to the (seal) mark empty, because that line is the notary's.
An acknowledgement is a certificate in which the notary records that a signer confirmed a signature before the notary. Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 147.55 gives certificate wording for an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an attorney in fact and a public officer, trustee or personal representative.[2] Each version starts with the state and county, then says the instrument was acknowledged before the notary on a date by the named person.
For an individual acting in their own right, the statute gives this wording.[2]
State of ____________________________ County of ___________________________ The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this (date) by (name of person acknowledging). (Signature of person taking acknowledgment) (Title or rank)
The other versions keep the same opening and change only who is acknowledging, as the table above shows. The statute does not stop you from using other wording.[2]
General information, not legal or tax advice.
