What statute governs Vermont acknowledgment forms?

26 V.S.A. 5368 sets the short-form certificates, with the required certificate contents in section 5367, effective July 1, 2019.

What title of office goes on a Vermont certificate?

Notary public. The Secretary of State notes that the title of office to enter on the short-form certificate is simply notary public.

Vermont Notary Acknowledgment: Free Fillable Form, Wording & Commission Cycle

This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. The wording reflects 26 V.S.A. sections 5367 and 5368, but the law can change. Confirm the current form with the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation before relying on it.

Quick answer: A Vermont acknowledgment certifies that a named person appeared and acknowledged signing a record. The short form in 26 V.S.A. 5368 reads "This record was acknowledged before me on (date) by (name)," and the title of office to write is simply "notary public." Vermont runs an unusual commission calendar: every commission expires on January 31 of the same cycle year, no matter when you were appointed.

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Fillable Vermont acknowledgment certificate

Enter the details and the certificate updates live with the statutory Vermont wording. Copy or print it, then attach it to your document. The notary completes and signs the final certificate after the act is performed, never before.

What is the exact Vermont acknowledgment wording?

Vermont's individual short form under 26 V.S.A. 5368 lays the date and the signer's name on separate labelled lines, which is how the Secretary of State prints it.

State of Vermont
[County] of ______

This record was acknowledged before me on ______ by ____________
Date Name(s) of individual(s)

___________________________________
Signature of notary public
Title of office: notary public
(Stamp)
My commission expires: ______

When does a Vermont notary commission expire?

Every Vermont commission expires on January 31 of the same cycle year, because the statute defines a commission term as the two-year period commencing on February 1 and continuing through January 31 of the second year following. That means the term is tied to a fixed statewide calendar, not to the day you were appointed, so a notary commissioned in October gets a shorter first stretch than one commissioned in February. Renewal season therefore lands at the same time for everyone in the state. Diary the January 31 date rather than counting two years from your appointment.

Who commissions notaries in Vermont?

Vermont notaries are commissioned by the Office of Professional Regulation, which sits within the Office of the Secretary of State, rather than by the Secretary of State directly. That placement matters in practice: notaries are regulated alongside licensed professions, and the Office adopts rules on electronic and remote notarial acts. Remote notarization requires a special commission endorsement, and providers of the communication technology must be registered to do business in Vermont. Applications and renewals run through the Office's online system.

Element	What goes there
Venue	State of Vermont and the county
Date and signer	Date of the act and the individual acknowledging
Title of office	Notary public
Stamp	Official stamp and the commission expiration date

Are there Vermont officials who notarize without a commission?

Yes. Certain law enforcement-related employees may perform notarial acts within the scope of their employment duties, and they are exempt from the provisions of chapter 103, including the requirements on what a certificate must contain. The Secretary of State nonetheless recommends that such an employee include their printed name and signature with each act, so the notarization can be traced. An exempt employee who wants to notarize outside those duties, or to hold an official commission number, applies for a regular notary commission. If you receive a certificate from one of these officials that lacks the usual elements, that is why.

Can a Vermont notary sign a certificate in advance?

No. Section 5367 provides that a notary public shall not affix a signature to, or logically associate it with, a certificate until the notarial act has been performed. Pre-signing blank certificates, or stamping a page to be completed later, breaks that rule outright. The same section lists four ways a certificate can be sufficient: the short form, another form permitted by Vermont law, a form permitted where the act was performed, or wording that sets out the notary's actions in enough detail. That flexibility covers out-of-state paperwork without licensing shortcuts on timing.

Vermont acknowledgment: frequently asked questions

What statute governs Vermont acknowledgment forms?: 26 V.S.A. 5368 sets the short-form certificates, with the required certificate contents in section 5367, effective July 1, 2019.
When does a Vermont notary commission expire?: Every Vermont commission runs the same two-year cycle, from February 1 through January 31 of the second following year, whatever date you were commissioned.
Who commissions notaries in Vermont?: The Office of Professional Regulation, within the Office of the Secretary of State, rather than the Secretary of State directly.
What title of office goes on a Vermont certificate?: Notary public. The Secretary of State notes that the title of office to enter on the short-form certificate is simply "notary public."
Can a Vermont notary sign a certificate in advance?: No. Section 5367 provides that a notary may not affix a signature to a certificate until the notarial act has actually been performed.

Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: 26 V.S.A. sections 5304, 5305, 5367, 5368 and 5379 (Vermont General Assembly); the Vermont Secretary of State stamps and certificates guidance and notary FAQs. Confirm current wording before relying on it.