What statute governs Montana acknowledgment forms?

MCA 1-5-610 sets the short form certificates of notarial acts under Montana's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.

Can a Montana notary perform a marriage?

Yes. Montana notaries were authorized to solemnize marriages under House Bill 370, alongside their acknowledgment and oath duties.

Does the signer sign in front of the Montana 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.

How long is a Montana notary commission?

Four years, and Montana notaries must keep a journal of their notarial acts, whether on paper or in a commercially produced electronic journal.

Montana Notary Acknowledgment: Free Fillable Form, Wording & Certificate Rules

This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. The wording reflects Montana Code Annotated 1-5-610 under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, but the law can change. Confirm the current form with the Montana Secretary of State before relying on it.

Quick answer: A Montana acknowledgment certifies that a named person appeared and acknowledged signing a record. The short form in MCA 1-5-610 reads "This record was acknowledged before me on (date) by (name)." The venue names the state and county. One Montana rule is strict: a notary can never simply sign and stamp a document. Leaving out the certificate wording is an unlawful act under the statute. Fill it below.

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Fillable Montana acknowledgment certificate

Enter the details and the certificate updates live with the statutory Montana 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 Montana acknowledgment wording?

Montana's individual acknowledgment short form under MCA 1-5-610 uses "record," since the state follows the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.

State of Montana
County of ______

This record was acknowledged before me on ______ (date) by ______ (name(s) of individual(s)).

___________________________________
(Signature of notarial officer)
(Seal, if any)
Title (and Rank): ______
My commission expires: ______

Can a Montana notary just sign and stamp a document?

No. A Montana notary must always complete a full notarial certificate, with the venue, the date, the type of notarial act, and the name of the person, alongside the signature and stamp. Simply signing and stamping a document with no certificate wording violates 1-5-625(1)(d), MCA, and is listed as an unlawful act. If a document arrives with no certificate, the requester has to say which act is needed; the notary may explain the options but may not choose for them. This puts Montana among the states that treat a bare signature and seal as a violation, not a shortcut.

What must a Montana acknowledgment include?

A Montana acknowledgment must include the venue, the date, the signer's name, the type of act, and the notarial officer's signature, title, and stamp. The notary determines identity from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence, or through a credible witness. The official signature filed with the Secretary of State must reasonably match the one used, and a tangible record is signed in blue or black ink.

Element	What goes there
Venue	State of Montana and the county
Date and signer	Date of the act and the individual acknowledging
Act	The type of notarial act performed
Notary	Signature, title, and official stamp

Who commissions notaries in Montana?

The Secretary of State commissions Montana notaries for a four-year term, and Montana is one of the few states where a notary can also solemnize marriages, a power added in 2019. Every notary keeps a journal of their acts, and an electronic journal must be commercially produced and create chronological, sequential, and non-modifiable records that can be handed to the Secretary of State on demand. A notary must retain their journals for as long as the commission is active.

Can a Montana notary handle a remote signer outside the United States?

Yes. Montana authorizes remote notarization by real-time, two-way audio-video communication, and MCA 1-5-610 prints a dedicated short form for a principal located outside the United States. That form has the signer declare where they are physically located and that the record pertains to a matter connected with the United States, such as a court filing or property here. A Montana notary handling an overseas signer should use that specific form rather than adapting the ordinary one.

Montana acknowledgment: frequently asked questions

What statute governs Montana acknowledgment forms?: MCA 1-5-610 sets the short form certificates of notarial acts under Montana's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.
Can a Montana notary just sign and stamp a document?: No. Signing and stamping without a full certificate stating venue, date, act, and name violates 1-5-625(1)(d), MCA, and is an unlawful act.
Can a Montana notary perform a marriage?: Yes. Montana notaries were authorized to solemnize marriages under House Bill 370, alongside their acknowledgment and oath duties.
Does the signer sign in front of the Montana 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.
How long is a Montana notary commission?: Four years, and Montana notaries must keep a journal of their notarial acts, whether on paper or in a commercially produced electronic journal.

Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Montana Code Annotated 1-5-610, 1-5-615, 1-5-619 and 1-5-625; the Montana Secretary of State Notary Public Handbook and notarial certificate templates. Confirm current wording before relying on it.