Free Tennessee Notary Acknowledgement Form

Tennessee Notary Acknowledgment Wording and Template

Tennessee law supplies ready-made certificate wording for an acknowledgment. The officer writes the certificate on the instrument or attaches it, and states the officer's official capacity in it.^[1] The statute gives three versions:

• Individual acknowledgment: for a person acknowledging a document in their own right.
• Natural persons in their own right: an alternative certificate that recites a free act and deed.
• Acting by attorney: wording that names the attorney-in-fact and the principal.

Each version below is the certificate part of a notary acknowledgement form. The blanks stand for details that change from document to document.

Individual Acknowledgment Certificate

This version is for a person acting in their own right. The officer certifies that the signer appeared in person and is personally known to the officer or proved by satisfactory evidence. The signer acknowledged executing the instrument for the purposes stated in it.^[1]

State of Tennessee )
County of )
Personally appeared before me, (name of clerk or deputy), clerk (or deputy clerk) of this county, (bargainor's name), 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.

Certificate for People Acting in Their Own Right

As an alternative, Tennessee supplies a certificate for natural persons acting in their own right. It recites that the person appeared before the officer and was known to be the person described in the instrument. The person acknowledged executing it as a free act and deed.^[1]

State of Tennessee )
County of )
On this day of , 20, before me personally appeared , to me known to be the person (or persons) described in and who executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that such person (or persons) executed the same as such person's (or persons') free act and deed.

Certificate for an Attorney-in-Fact

When an attorney-in-fact acknowledges a document signed on behalf of a principal, the certificate names both the attorney-in-fact and the principal. It states that the acknowledgment was made before the officer who certifies it. A document signed for another person or an entity may also be acknowledged in a representative capacity, and the statute's wording covers acknowledgments made that way.^[1]

State of Tennessee ) County of ) On this day of , 20, before me personally appeared , to me known (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence) to be the person who executed the foregoing instrument in behalf of acknowledged that such person executed the same as the free act and deed of .

Sample Tennessee Notary Acknowledgment Wording

This example fills the blanks of the natural persons version with made-up details. It is a sample for illustration, not a real document.

State of Tennessee
County of Example

On this 5th day of May, 2026, before me personally appeared Anna Baker, to me known to be the person described in and who executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that such person executed the same as such person's free act and deed.

Each blank takes one kind of detail:

• County: the county where the acknowledgment is taken.
• Date: the day, month and year of the acknowledgment.
• Name: the person who signed the instrument.

How to Notarize a Document in Tennessee

Getting a document notarized in Tennessee usually takes one short visit to a notary public. The steps below walk you through that visit. The next section shows how the FormsPal form is filled in.

1. Choose a notary near you. Many banks, credit unions, shipping stores and private notary offices have a notary on staff. Call ahead to check the hours and whether you need an appointment.
2. Get the document ready, but do not sign it yet. Gather every paper that needs notarizing and fill in the details before the visit. Many notaries prefer to watch you sign, so leave the signature line blank unless the notary tells you otherwise.
3. Bring a photo ID. The certificate states that the signer is personally known to the officer or proved on the basis of satisfactory evidence.^[1] Bring a current photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport, so the notary can confirm who you are.
4. Acknowledge your signature. The certificate recites that you personally appeared before the officer and acknowledged that you signed the document.^[1] If you have not signed yet, sign in front of the notary.
5. Let the notary complete the certificate. The officer writes the certificate on the document or attaches it, and states the officer's official capacity in it.^[1]
6. Pay the fee and take both papers. Notaries usually charge a fee for their service, so ask about it when you call. Leave with the original document and the completed acknowledgment, and give both to the office that asked for the notarization.

How to Fill Out the Tennessee Notary Acknowledgement Form

The FormsPal template is a one-page form with two parts to complete. Download it as a PDF, Word or OpenDocument file, or build it online with the Create My Document button above. You can also fill in the PDF with our online PDF editor. Each step below matches one part of the form, from top to bottom.

The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Tennessee 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.

1. State, county, date, notary and signer. Enter the state and county where the acknowledgment takes place. Then add the date after "On", the notary's name after "before me" and the signer's name after "personally appeared". Finish with the state named in the penalty of perjury line.

   

2. Signature, seal and title of office. At the bottom of the form, the Signature line comes first, then the "(seal)" mark, then the Title of office line. This block is the notary's. The signer signs the document being acknowledged.

   

Frequently Asked Questions

Tennessee's acknowledgment statute, Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-22-107, provides certificate wording for individuals, for natural persons acting in their own right, and for people acting by attorney. The officer writes the certificate and states the officer's official capacity in it. The answers below cover the wording, who writes the certificate, and what a notary block contains.^[1]

Does Tennessee provide a statutory individual acknowledgment certificate form for a notary acknowledgement?

Yes. Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-22-107 includes an individual acknowledgment certificate. The certificate does three things:^[1]

• It names the officer and the signer.
• It states that the signer is personally known to the officer or proved by satisfactory evidence.
• It says the signer acknowledged executing the instrument for the purposes it contains.

Who writes the certificate on a Tennessee acknowledgment?

The officer does. The statute says the officer writes the certificate on the instrument or annexes it to the instrument, and sets forth the officer's official capacity in it.^[1]

What does a Tennessee notary block look like?

A Tennessee notary block is the certificate wording the officer completes. Each statutory version starts with "State of Tennessee" and a county line. It then recites that the person appeared before the officer and acknowledged executing the instrument.^[1]

General information, not legal or tax advice.

Sources

1. Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-22-107.

Mara Erlach

Writer & Attorney

Mara has been practicing estate planning and trust law in California since 2003, taking pride in helping clients of all backgrounds and asset profiles form a complete and customized estate plan. Her specialties are: estate planning, wills and trusts, trust and probate administration.