ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

RCW 64.08
in effect

RCW 64.08.010 Who may take acknowledgments.

Acknowledgments of deeds, mortgages and other instruments in writing, required to be acknowledged may be taken in this state before a justice of the supreme court, or the clerk thereof, or the deputy of such clerk, before a judge of the court of appeals, or the clerk thereof, before a judge of the superior court, or qualified court commissioner thereof, or the clerk thereof, or the deputy of such clerk, or a county auditor, or the deputy of such auditor, or a qualified notary public, or a qualified United States commissioner appointed by any district court of the United States for this state, and all said instruments heretofore executed and acknowledged according to the provisions of this section are hereby declared legal and valid. Acknowledgments of deeds, mortgages and other instruments in writing, required to be acknowledged may be taken in this state before a justice of the supreme court, or the clerk thereof, or the deputy of such clerk, before a judge of the court of appeals, or the clerk thereof, before a judge of the superior court, or qualified court commissioner thereof, or the clerk thereof, or the deputy of such clerk, or a county auditor, or the deputy of such auditor, or a qualified notary public, or a qualified United States commissioner appointed by any district court of the United States for this state, and all said instruments heretofore executed and acknowledged according to the provisions of this section are hereby declared legal and valid.

RCW 64.08.020 Acknowledgments out of state — Certificate.

Acknowledgments of deeds conveying or encumbering real estate situated in this state, or any interest therein, and other instruments in writing, required to be acknowledged, may be taken in any other state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or in any possession of the United States, before any person authorized to take the acknowledgments of deeds by the laws of the state, territory, district, or possession wherein the acknowledgment is taken, or before any commissioner appointed by the governor of this state, for that purpose, but unless such acknowledgment is taken before a commissioner so appointed by the governor, or before the clerk of a court of record of such state, territory, district, or possession, or before a notary public or other officer having a seal of office, the instrument shall have attached thereto a certificate of the clerk of a court of record of the county, parish, or other political subdivision of such state, territory, district, or possession wherein the acknowledgment was taken, under the seal of said court, certifying that the person who took the acknowledgment, and whose name is subscribed to the certificate thereof, was at the date thereof such officer as he or she represented himself or herself to be, authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, and that the clerk verily believes the signature of the person subscribed to the certificate of acknowledgment to be genuine. Acknowledgments of deeds conveying or encumbering real estate situated in this state, or any interest therein, and other instruments in writing, required to be acknowledged, may be taken in any other state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or in any possession of the United States, before any person authorized to take the acknowledgments of deeds by the laws of the state, territory, district, or possession wherein the acknowledgment is taken, or before any commissioner appointed by the governor of this state, for that purpose, but unless such acknowledgment is taken before a commissioner so appointed by the governor, or before the clerk of a court of record of such state, territory, district, or possession, or before a notary public or other officer having a seal of office, the instrument shall have attached thereto a certificate of the clerk of a court of record of the county, parish, or other political subdivision of such state, territory, district, or possession wherein the acknowledgment was taken, under the seal of said court, certifying that the person who took the acknowledgment, and whose name is subscribed to the certificate thereof, was at the date thereof such officer as he or she represented himself or herself to be, authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, and that the clerk verily believes the signature of the person subscribed to the certificate of acknowledgment to be genuine.

RCW 64.08.040 Foreign acknowledgments, who may take.

Acknowledgments of deeds conveying or encumbering real estate situated in this state, or any interest therein and other instruments in writing, required to be acknowledged, may be taken in any foreign country before any minister, plenipotentiary, secretary of legation, charge d'affaires, consul general, consul, vice consul, consular agent, or commercial agent appointed by the United States government, or before any notary public, or before the judge, clerk, or other proper officer of any court of said country, or before the mayor or other chief magistrate of any city, town or other municipal corporation therein. Acknowledgments of deeds conveying or encumbering real estate situated in this state, or any interest therein and other instruments in writing, required to be acknowledged, may be taken in any foreign country before any minister, plenipotentiary, secretary of legation, charge d'affaires, consul general, consul, vice consul, consular agent, or commercial agent appointed by the United States government, or before any notary public, or before the judge, clerk, or other proper officer of any court of said country, or before the mayor or other chief magistrate of any city, town or other municipal corporation therein.

RCW 64.08.050 Certificate of acknowledgment — Evidence.

The officer, or person, taking an acknowledgment as in this chapter provided, shall certify the same by a certificate written upon or annexed to the instrument acknowledged and signed by him or her and sealed with his or her official seal, if any, and reciting in substance that the person, or persons, known to him or her as, or determined by satisfactory evidence to be, the person, or persons, whose name, or names, are signed to the instrument as executing the same, acknowledged before him or her on the date stated in the certificate that he, she, or they, executed the same freely and voluntarily. Such certificate shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein recited. The officer or person taking the acknowledgment has satisfactory evidence that a person is the person whose name is signed on the instrument if that person: (1) Is personally known to the officer or person taking the acknowledgment; (2) is identified upon the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known to the officer or person taking the acknowledgment; or (3) is identified on the basis of identification documents. The officer, or person, taking an acknowledgment as in this chapter provided, shall certify the same by a certificate written upon or annexed to the instrument acknowledged and signed by him or her and sealed with his or her official seal, if any, and reciting in substance that the person, or persons, known to him or her as, or determined by satisfactory evidence to be, the person, or persons, whose name, or names, are signed to the instrument as executing the same, acknowledged before him or her on the date stated in the certificate that he, she, or they, executed the same freely and voluntarily. Such certificate shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein recited. The officer or person taking the acknowledgment has satisfactory evidence that a person is the person whose name is signed on the instrument if that person: (1) Is personally known to the officer or person taking the acknowledgment; (2) is identified upon the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known to the officer or person taking the acknowledgment; or (3) is identified on the basis of identification documents.

RCW 64.08.060 Form of certificate for individual.

A certificate of acknowledgment for an individual, substantially in the following form or, after December 31, 1985, substantially in the form set forth in RCW 42.45.140 (1), shall be sufficient for the purposes of this chapter and for any acknowledgment required to be taken in accordance with this chapter: State of County of . . . . . . . .      ss. On this day personally appeared before me (here insert the name of grantor or grantors) to me known to be the individual, or individuals described in and who executed the within and foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that he (she or they) signed the same as his (her or their) free and voluntary act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. Given under my hand and official seal this . . . . day of . . . . . ., (year) . . . . (Signature of officer and official seal) If acknowledgment is taken before a notary public of this state the signature shall be followed by substantially the following: Notary Public in and for the state of Washington, residing at . . . . . . . . ., (giving place of residence). A certificate of acknowledgment for an individual, substantially in the following form or, after December 31, 1985, substantially in the form set forth in RCW 42.45.140 (1), shall be sufficient for the purposes of this chapter and for any acknowledgment required to be taken in accordance with this chapter: State of County of . . . . . . . .      ss. State of County of . . . . . . . .      ss. On this day personally appeared before me (here insert the name of grantor or grantors) to me known to be the individual, or individuals described in and who executed the within and foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that he (she or they) signed the same as his (her or their) free and voluntary act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. Given under my hand and official seal this . . . . day of . . . . . ., (year) . . . . (Signature of officer and official seal) If acknowledgment is taken before a notary public of this state the signature shall be followed by substantially the following: Notary Public in and for the state of Washington, residing at . . . . . . . . ., (giving place of residence).

RCW 64.08.070 Form of certificate for corporation.

A certificate of acknowledgment for a corporation, substantially in the following form or, after December 31, 1985, substantially in the form set forth in RCW 42.45.140 (2), shall be sufficient for the purposes of this chapter and for any acknowledgment required to be taken in accordance with this chapter: State of County of . . . . . . . .      ss. On this . . . . day of . . . . . ., (year) . . . ., before me personally appeared . . . . . ., to me known to be the (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, or other authorized officer or agent, as the case may be) of the corporation that executed the within and foregoing instrument, and acknowledged said instrument to be the free and voluntary act and deed of said corporation, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, and on oath stated that he or she was authorized to execute said instrument and that the seal affixed is the corporate seal of said corporation. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and year first above written. (Signature and title of officer with place of residence of notary public.) A certificate of acknowledgment for a corporation, substantially in the following form or, after December 31, 1985, substantially in the form set forth in RCW 42.45.140 (2), shall be sufficient for the purposes of this chapter and for any acknowledgment required to be taken in accordance with this chapter: State of County of . . . . . . . .      ss. State of County of . . . . . . . .      ss. On this . . . . day of . . . . . ., (year) . . . ., before me personally appeared . . . . . ., to me known to be the (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, or other authorized officer or agent, as the case may be) of the corporation that executed the within and foregoing instrument, and acknowledged said instrument to be the free and voluntary act and deed of said corporation, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, and on oath stated that he or she was authorized to execute said instrument and that the seal affixed is the corporate seal of said corporation. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and year first above written. (Signature and title of officer with place of residence of notary public.)

RCW 64.08.090 Authority of superintendents, business managers, and officers of correctional institutions to take acknowledgments and administer oaths — Procedure.

The superintendents, associate and assistant superintendents, business managers, records officers, and camp superintendents of any correctional institution or facility operated by the state of Washington are hereby authorized and empowered to take acknowledgments on any instruments of writing, and certify the same in the manner required by law, and to administer all oaths required by law to be administered, all of the foregoing acts to have the same effect as if performed by a notary public: PROVIDED, That such authority shall only extend to taking acknowledgments for and administering oaths to officers, employees, and residents of such institutions and facilities. None of the individuals herein empowered to take acknowledgments and administer oaths shall demand or accept any fee or compensation whatsoever for administering or taking any oath, affirmation, or acknowledgment under the authority conferred by this section. In certifying any oath or in signing any instrument officially, an individual empowered to do so under this section shall, in addition to his or her name, state in writing his or her place of residence, the date of his or her action, and affix the seal of the institution where he or she is employed: PROVIDED, That in certifying any oath to be used in any of the courts of this state, it shall not be necessary to append an impression of the official seal of the institution. The superintendents, associate and assistant superintendents, business managers, records officers, and camp superintendents of any correctional institution or facility operated by the state of Washington are hereby authorized and empowered to take acknowledgments on any instruments of writing, and certify the same in the manner required by law, and to administer all oaths required by law to be administered, all of the foregoing acts to have the same effect as if performed by a notary public: PROVIDED, That such authority shall only extend to taking acknowledgments for and administering oaths to officers, employees, and residents of such institutions and facilities. None of the individuals herein empowered to take acknowledgments and administer oaths shall demand or accept any fee or compensation whatsoever for administering or taking any oath, affirmation, or acknowledgment under the authority conferred by this section. In certifying any oath or in signing any instrument officially, an individual empowered to do so under this section shall, in addition to his or her name, state in writing his or her place of residence, the date of his or her action, and affix the seal of the institution where he or she is employed: PROVIDED, That in certifying any oath to be used in any of the courts of this state, it shall not be necessary to append an impression of the official seal of the institution.

RCW 64.08.100 Acknowledgments by persons unable to sign name.

Any person who is otherwise competent but is physically unable to sign his or her name or make a mark may make an acknowledgment authorized under this chapter by orally directing the notary public or other authorized officer taking the acknowledgment to sign the person's name on his or her behalf. In taking an acknowledgment under this section, the notary public or other authorized officer shall, in addition to stating his or her name and place of residence, state that the signature in the acknowledgment was obtained under the authority of this section. Any person who is otherwise competent but is physically unable to sign his or her name or make a mark may make an acknowledgment authorized under this chapter by orally directing the notary public or other authorized officer taking the acknowledgment to sign the person's name on his or her behalf. In taking an acknowledgment under this section, the notary public or other authorized officer shall, in addition to stating his or her name and place of residence, state that the signature in the acknowledgment was obtained under the authority of this section.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.08&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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