TN Notary Acknowledgments and Jurats 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Tennessee notary completes an acknowledgment certificate. What information must appear on the certificate?
- Notary's home address only
- State, county, date, notary's signature, printed name, commission expiration, and seal (Correct answer)
- Only the notary's signature and date
- Only the county and state
Correct answer: State, county, date, notary's signature, printed name, commission expiration, and seal
A complete acknowledgment certificate must include the state, county, date, notary's signature, printed name, commission expiration date, and official seal.
Question 2: What is the difference between an oath and an affirmation in a jurat?
- They are legally different acts in Tennessee
- An oath invokes a deity while an affirmation is a solemn pledge without religious reference; both are legally equivalent (Correct answer)
- An affirmation is only for attorneys
- An oath is only for real estate transactions
Correct answer: An oath invokes a deity while an affirmation is a solemn pledge without religious reference; both are legally equivalent
An oath traditionally invokes a religious reference while an affirmation is a secular solemn pledge; Tennessee law treats both as legally equivalent.
Question 3: If a signer wants to acknowledge a signature they made two weeks ago, can a Tennessee notary complete an acknowledgment?
- No, the notary must have witnessed the signing
- Yes, as long as the signer appears and acknowledges the signature is theirs (Correct answer)
- Only if two witnesses confirm the prior signing
- Only if the document is less than 30 days old
Correct answer: Yes, as long as the signer appears and acknowledges the signature is theirs
Acknowledgments do not require the notary to witness the signing; the signer simply appears and acknowledges the signature before the notary.
Question 4: What should a Tennessee notary do if they are asked to notarize a document with a pre-printed acknowledgment certificate from another state?
- Refuse to notarize the document
- Complete the certificate using Tennessee notarial law, attaching a Tennessee certificate if necessary (Correct answer)
- Use the out-of-state certificate exactly as printed
- Ask the Secretary of State for permission first
Correct answer: Complete the certificate using Tennessee notarial law, attaching a Tennessee certificate if necessary
If an out-of-state certificate does not conform to Tennessee requirements, the notary should attach a Tennessee-compliant certificate to the document.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT required for a valid jurat in Tennessee?
- Signer signs in the notary's presence
- Signer takes an oath or affirmation
- Notary verifies the truth of the document's contents (Correct answer)
- Notary's signature and seal on the certificate
Correct answer: Notary verifies the truth of the document's contents
A notary does not verify or certify the truth of the document's contents; only the signer swears to truthfulness in a jurat.
Question 6: Can a Tennessee notary use the same acknowledgment certificate wording for both individual and representative signers?
- Yes, the wording is universal
- No, the certificate wording differs depending on whether the signer signs in an individual or representative capacity (Correct answer)
- Only for business documents
- Only for government documents
Correct answer: No, the certificate wording differs depending on whether the signer signs in an individual or representative capacity
Certificates for representative signers (e.g., officers of a corporation) include language about the capacity in which they sign, which differs from an individual acknowledgment.
TN Notary Acknowledgments and Jurats 2
A Tennessee notary completes an acknowledgment certificate.
What information must appear on the certificate?