Wisconsin Notary Acknowledgment: Free Fillable Form, Wording & Chapter 140 Rules
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. The wording reflects chapter 140 of the Wisconsin Statutes, but the law can change. Confirm the current form with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions before relying on it.
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Fillable Wisconsin acknowledgment certificate
Enter the details and the certificate updates live with the statutory Wisconsin wording. Copy or print it, then attach it to your document. The notary completes and signs the final certificate after verifying identity; this tool just prepares the correct form.
What is the exact Wisconsin acknowledgment wording?
Wisconsin's individual short form uses "record," matching the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts that chapter 140 adopted.
State of Wisconsin
County of ______
This record was acknowledged before me on ______ (date) by ____________ (name(s) of individual(s)).
Signature of notarial officer
(Stamp)
Title of office: ______
My commission expires: ______
What changed when Wisconsin adopted chapter 140?
Wisconsin replaced its older acknowledgment provisions with chapter 140, cited as the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (2018) and enacted by 2019 Wisconsin Act 125. The practical effect was to move Wisconsin onto the same "record was acknowledged before me" wording that most states now use, and to consolidate acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, verifications, signature witnessing, and copy certifications into one chapter. Pre-printed forms citing the old sections still circulate, and a certificate using older wording is not automatically void, but new documents should follow chapter 140.
Who regulates notaries in Wisconsin?
The Department of Financial Institutions, which is unusual, since most states place notaries under a Secretary of State. The Department handles commissions and publishes the official sample notary statements that Wisconsin notaries are pointed to. If you need to verify a Wisconsin notary or download the correct certificate wording, that is the office to go to rather than a Secretary of State site. The placement also means notary conduct is regulated alongside financial services rather than elections and records.
| Element | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Venue | State of Wisconsin and the county |
| Date and signer | Date of the act and the individuals acknowledging |
| Title of office | The notarial officer's title, such as Notary Public |
| Stamp | Official stamp and the commission expiration date |
When does a Wisconsin notary personally know a signer?
Section 140.07 sets a defined test: a notarial officer has personal knowledge of identity if the individual is personally known to the officer through dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty that the individual has the identity claimed. That is stricter than a casual acquaintance and looser than requiring documents, and it puts the judgment on the quality of the prior dealings. A neighbour you have spoken to twice is not the same as a colleague of ten years. When the dealings fall short, fall back on satisfactory evidence of identity instead.
Who writes the wording if a Wisconsin document has none?
The customer, not the notary. Department guidance is explicit that when a document arrives without notarial language, it is up to the customer to write or type a complete statement on the document, rather than asking the Wisconsin notary to supply one. Choosing between an acknowledgment and a verification on oath is a legal decision the notary is not permitted to make. Personal appearance is separately required under section 140.06 whenever the act relates to a statement made in, or a signature executed on, a record.
Wisconsin acknowledgment: frequently asked questions
- What law governs Wisconsin acknowledgment forms?
- Chapter 140 of the Wisconsin Statutes, cited as the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (2018) and enacted by 2019 Wisconsin Act 125.
- Who regulates notaries in Wisconsin?
- The Department of Financial Institutions, not the Secretary of State. The Department also publishes the official sample notary statements.
- Does Wisconsin require personal appearance?
- Yes. Section 140.06 requires the individual making the statement or executing the signature to appear personally before the notarial officer.
- When does a Wisconsin notary personally know a signer?
- When the individual is known through dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty of identity, which is the standard set in section 140.07.
- Who writes the wording if a Wisconsin document has none?
- The customer, not the notary. Department guidance is that it is up to the customer to write or type a complete statement on the document.
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: chapter 140 of the Wisconsin Statutes, sections 140.06, 140.07 and 140.34 (Wisconsin Legislature); the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions notary sample statements. Confirm current wording before relying on it.