Updated September 01, 2023
A Washington notary acknowledgment form is used to officially authenticate a signature on a legal document. It also declares that the signing individual is the person whose name appears within the instrument and that they have signed for the purpose(s) mentioned therein. This process makes it significantly more difficult for imposters to forge signatures on documents of great importance such as mortgages, living trusts, and deeds. All acknowledgment forms must be completed by the notary with requesting parties present. Signatures are only considered authenticated once the acknowledgment form has been completed, signed, and stamped by the notary.
Laws – § 42.45.140
Notary Handbook – A resource for notaries that describes the State required notarial procedures. This information is prudent for acknowledgments, oaths, and affirmations, witnessing or attesting to signatures, and other related information.
How to Notarize in Washington (6 steps)
1. Find Notary
- Banks and Credit Unions (Chase Bank serves many counties across the State)
- The UPS Store
- Private Notaries
4. Show ID
6. Process Finalized
Verify a Notary in Washington (3 steps)
Washington State requires individuals to login securely with an account in order to search and view details about professional licenses including notaries public. If you do not already have an account, the Washington State Department of Licensing offers pdf instructions that will help you create one. After you have completed the process, you will have access to their Business and Professional Licenses search system.
Step 1
You will be redirected to the License Lookup page.
Step 2
If you want to search by license number, enter the number and click Search.
If you would like to search using other criteria, click the Advanced Search with License Details button. This will give you the option to search by name, city, county, and license status. Select “Notary Public” from the “License Type” drop-down menu. Then fill in the criteria you wish to use and click Search.
Step 3
How to Write (For Notary)
Step 1 – The Washington notary acknowledgment form can be downloaded in PDF (.pdf), Microsoft Word (.docx), and Open Document Text (.odt).
Step 2 – Enter the name of the county in the first available field. Below that, provide the name of the individual whose signature is being authenticated as well as the date. The notary may finalize the form by supplying their seal/stamp, signature, title, and appointment expiration date.