Michigan Notary Acknowledgment: Free Fillable Form & 2026 Wording
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. The requirements reflect the Michigan Law on Notarial Acts, MCL 55.287, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal, before relying on this.
Open the free fillable certificate ↓
Fillable Michigan acknowledgment certificate
Enter the details and the certificate updates live, adding the "Acting in the County of" line automatically when the county of the act differs from your county of commission. Copy or print it, then attach it to your document. The notary completes and signs the final certificate after verifying identity.
What is the exact Michigan acknowledgment wording?
Michigan does not mandate one, since the Legislature repealed the statutory notary forms effective May 26, 2006. A commonly used individual acknowledgment appears below, followed by the statements MCL 55.287 actually requires.
State of Michigan
County of ______
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ______ day of ____________, 20____, by ____________.
(Signature of notary public)
____________ (name exactly as on the commission application)
Notary public, State of Michigan, County of ______
My commission expires ______
Acting in the County of ______ (only if different from the county of commission)
What does "Acting in the County of" mean on a Michigan notarization?
It states the county where the notarial act actually took place, and MCL 55.287 requires it whenever you notarize in a county other than your county of commission. Michigan notaries may act anywhere in the state, but the certificate has to show where. According to the Department of State, if that statement is not completed, the venue is taken to be your county of commission, which means a certificate that stays silent quietly claims the wrong place. Registers of deeds check that the venue matches the county the notary is acting in, and a mismatch is a routine reason a deed comes back.
What must a Michigan notarization include?
MCL 55.287 requires four things printed, typed, or stamped near your signature, legibly and capable of photographic reproduction. Your signature must match your name as it appears on your commission application.
| Required statement | What it says |
|---|---|
| Name | Your name exactly as on the commission application |
| Office | "Notary public, State of Michigan, County of ______." |
| Expiration | "My commission expires ______." |
| Acting in | "Acting in the County of ______." when outside the commission county |
Does an illegible Michigan notary stamp void the document?
No. Under MCL 55.287, the illegibility of the required statements does not affect the validity of the transaction or the record that was notarized. That is a meaningful protection, because in most states a smudged or unreadable stamp invites a challenge. It does not make illegibility acceptable, though. The statute still requires the information to be clear enough for the Secretary of State to read and capable of photographic reproduction, and a register of deeds can still refuse to record a document it cannot read.
Who commissions notaries in Michigan?
The Department of State, through the Office of the Great Seal, commissions Michigan notaries, and the term is unusual: six or seven years, always ending on your birthday. If your commission date falls before your birthday that calendar year, the term runs six years from your birthday; if it falls after, seven years. Applicants file a $10,000 surety bond with the clerk of the county where they live or work and take the oath of office there, though Michigan-licensed attorneys have been exempt from the bond since April 2007. Michigan requires no exam or course.
Michigan acknowledgment: frequently asked questions
- Does Michigan have a required acknowledgment form?
- No. Michigan repealed its statutory notary forms effective May 26, 2006. What MCL 55.287 requires are the four statements printed near the notary's signature.
- When do you write "Acting in the County of" in Michigan?
- Whenever the notarial act happens in a county other than your county of commission. If left blank, the venue is treated as your commission county.
- How long is a Michigan notary commission?
- Six or seven years, always ending on your birthday. Six years if the commission date is before your birthday that year, seven years if after.
- Does an unreadable stamp void a Michigan notarization?
- No. MCL 55.287 says illegibility of the required statements does not affect the validity of the transaction, though a register of deeds may still refuse it.
- Does the signer sign in front of the Michigan notary?
- Not for an acknowledgment. The record may be pre-signed, but the signer must appear before the notary and be identified to acknowledge it.
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Michigan Law on Notarial Acts, MCL 55.285 and 55.287 (Michigan Legislature); Michigan Department of State notary services and Office of the Great Seal notary FAQ. Confirm current requirements before relying on this.