Massachusetts Notary Acknowledgment: Free Fillable Form & Wording
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. The wording reflects Massachusetts General Laws chapter 222, section 15, but the law can change and other forms are allowed in some situations. Confirm the current form with the Secretary of the Commonwealth before relying on it.
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Fillable Massachusetts acknowledgment certificate
Enter the details and the certificate updates live with the statutory Massachusetts wording, including the identification line the law requires. Copy or print it, then attach it to your document. The notary completes and signs the final certificate after verifying identity; this tool prepares the correct form.
What is the exact Massachusetts acknowledgment wording?
The individual acknowledgment under G.L. c.222 section 15(b) reads as follows, and a notary must use substantially this form.
On this ______ day of ____________, 20____, before me, the undersigned notary public, ____________ (name of document signer) personally appeared, proved to me through satisfactory evidence of identification, which were ____________, to be the person whose name is signed on the preceding or attached document, and acknowledged to me that (he) (she) signed it voluntarily for its stated purpose.
(official signature and seal of notary public)
Why does the Massachusetts form name the ID you used?
The form names the identification because section 15(b) puts a blank in the certificate, "which were ______," that the notary fills with the actual evidence of identity relied on. No other state writes the ID onto the face of the certificate this way. In practice a notary enters something like "a Massachusetts driver's license" or "personal knowledge of the signer," and leaving that blank empty is the single most common defect in Massachusetts certificates. The entry becomes part of the recorded document, so it should describe the credential type, not the license number.
Does the Massachusetts acknowledgment have a venue?
The statutory Massachusetts form carries no state-and-county caption; it opens directly with "On this ___ day of ___." That surprises people who expect the familiar two-line venue block at the top. Many Massachusetts notaries still add a "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, County of ______" caption above the form, because out-of-state recipients and some recording offices look for one, and adding it does not conflict with the statute. What the law asks for is the substance of section 15(b), which the caption does not replace.
| Element | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Date | Day, month, and year of the act |
| Signer | Name of the document signer who appeared |
| Identification | The evidence of identity relied on, written into the form |
| Notary | Official signature and seal |
Who commissions notaries in Massachusetts?
The Governor commissions Massachusetts notaries with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council, a process no other state uses, for a seven-year term. Records are kept by the Public Records Division in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. There is no bond and no exam, but a notary must take the oath of office before acting, and must obtain a new seal on each renewal, on a new commission, or after a name change. The seal shows the name as commissioned, the words "notary public" and "Commonwealth of Massachusetts," and the expiration date.
What is different about a Massachusetts real estate closing?
For a residential real property closing, only a notary who is a Massachusetts attorney, or a non-attorney under that attorney's direct supervision or direct request, may perform an acknowledgment using communication technology, and the certificate must recite the Board of Bar Overseers registration number. That rule took effect January 1, 2024 under c.222 section 28. Separately, for registered land in the Land Court, an acknowledgment must conform substantially to the section 15(b) form even when it was taken in another state, so an out-of-state certificate can be rejected on a Massachusetts registered-land conveyance.
Massachusetts acknowledgment: frequently asked questions
- What statute governs Massachusetts acknowledgment forms?
- General Laws chapter 222, section 15(b), sets the acknowledgment form. A notary must use substantially that form, with limited exceptions in sections 15(h) and 16.
- Does a Massachusetts notary write down the ID used?
- Yes. Section 15(b) includes a blank, "which were ______," for the evidence of identity relied on. It is filled with the credential type, not the number.
- Does the Massachusetts form have a state and county venue?
- The statutory form has none; it opens with the date. Many notaries add a "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, County of ______" caption because recipients expect it.
- How long is a Massachusetts notary commission?
- Seven years. The Governor commissions notaries with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council, and a new seal is required on each renewal.
- Can any notary handle a Massachusetts home closing remotely?
- No. Since January 1, 2024, only an attorney notary, or a non-attorney under that attorney's direct supervision, may do so, reciting the Bar Overseers number.
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Massachusetts General Laws chapter 222, sections 1, 8, 15, 16 and 28; the Land Court memorandum on the form of acknowledgments and powers of attorney; the Secretary of the Commonwealth notary information. Confirm current wording before relying on it.