Tennessee Notary Acknowledgment: Free Fillable Form, Wording & Bargainor Rule
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. The wording reflects Tennessee Code Annotated sections 66-22-107 and 66-22-114, but the law can change. Confirm the current form with the Tennessee Secretary of State before relying on it.
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Fillable Tennessee acknowledgment certificate
Enter the details, including the official capacity the statute requires, and the certificate updates live with the Tennessee wording. Copy or print it, then attach it to your document. The officer completes and signs the final certificate after verifying identity.
What is the exact Tennessee acknowledgment wording?
Tennessee's certificate for a natural person under T.C.A. 66-22-107 names the officer, uses the word "bargainor" for the signer, and ends with the office clause.
State of Tennessee
County of ______
Personally appeared before me, ____________, notary public, ____________, 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.
___________________________________
Notary Public
My commission expires: ______
What does "bargainor" mean on a Tennessee acknowledgment?
Bargainor is the old conveyancing word for the party transferring property, and in the Tennessee form it simply means the person who signed the instrument. The term comes from bargain-and-sale deeds, where the bargainor sold and the bargainee bought, and Tennessee is one of the very few states that still prints it in a current statutory form. Seeing it on a modern power of attorney or affidavit is normal in Tennessee, not a drafting error. If the document is not a conveyance, the bargainor is still just the signer named in it.
Who can take an acknowledgment in Tennessee?
More officers than in most states: a notary public, a county clerk or deputy clerk, a clerk and master, and United States consular officers with an official seal can all take a Tennessee acknowledgment. Section 66-22-107 requires that the officer set forth their official capacity in the certificate, which is why the form has a line for it rather than assuming a notary. A county clerk version of the form even says "clerk (or deputy clerk) of this county" in place of the notary's name. Naming the wrong capacity is a defect worth catching before recording.
| Element | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Venue | State of Tennessee and the county |
| Officer and capacity | The officer's name and official capacity, such as notary public |
| Bargainor | The name of the person who executed the instrument |
| Closing | "Witness my hand, at office," with the date and seal |
Does Tennessee require the exact statutory wording?
No. The exact language of the statutory forms is recommended, but T.C.A. 66-22-114 provides that acknowledgments complying with the substance of those forms are valid. That gives room for a certificate that says the same things in slightly different words, which matters when a lender's national form arrives on a Tennessee closing. Substance means the essentials are still there: the appearance, the identification, the acknowledgment of execution, and the officer's capacity. When in doubt, use the statutory wording, since it can never be attacked as insufficient.
Is an out-of-state acknowledgment valid in Tennessee?
Yes, provided the certificate is in a form prescribed by Tennessee law or in a form prescribed by the laws or regulations of the state, territory, or foreign country where the acknowledgment was taken. Tennessee accepts either, so a properly executed Ohio or Texas certificate does not have to be redone in Tennessee wording to be recorded. Sections 66-22-103 and 66-22-104 set out who may take those acknowledgments outside the state. This dual acceptance saves time on multi-state closings where signers are scattered.
Tennessee acknowledgment: frequently asked questions
- What statute governs Tennessee acknowledgment forms?
- T.C.A. 66-22-107 sets the form of certificate for natural persons, 66-22-108 covers corporate and partnership instruments, and 66-22-114 adds a general form.
- What does "bargainor" mean on a Tennessee acknowledgment?
- It is the old conveyancing word for the person transferring property, meaning the signer named in the instrument. Tennessee kept the term in its statutory form.
- Who can take an acknowledgment in Tennessee?
- A notary public, a county clerk or deputy clerk, a clerk and master, and United States consular officers with an official seal, among others.
- Does Tennessee require the exact statutory wording?
- The exact language is recommended, but under T.C.A. 66-22-114 an acknowledgment that complies with the substance of the statutory forms is valid.
- Is an out-of-state acknowledgment valid in Tennessee?
- Yes, if the certificate is in a form prescribed by Tennessee law or in a form prescribed by the law of the state or country where the acknowledgment was taken.
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Tennessee Code Annotated sections 66-22-103, 66-22-104, 66-22-107, 66-22-108 and 66-22-114; the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service guidance on statutory form acknowledgments. Confirm current wording before relying on it.