Real estate title glossary
What is acknowledgment?
Also called: notarial acknowledgment, notarization
Definition
An acknowledgment is the signer's formal declaration, before a notary or other authorized officer, that they signed the document voluntarily; most states require one before a deed can be recorded.
The officer completes a certificate of acknowledgment on the document. A defective or missing acknowledgment can leave a deed valid between the parties but not entitled to recording, or not notice to later buyers, depending on state law.
How it shows up in a title search
Recorders reject most instruments without it. A recorded deed with a defective acknowledgment is a classic cloud on title, usually cured by re-execution or a curative statute.
Guides that go deeper
- Cloud on Title: Meaning, Examples and How to Clear OneWhat a cloud on title means in real estate, common examples a title search finds, and how each is cleared: release, corrective deed, lapse or quiet title.
- Property Fraud Alert and Deed Fraud: How Forged Deeds Work and How to Spot ThemDeed fraud files a forged deed in the county record. See how it works, which clerks offer a free property fraud alert, and the red flags a title search shows.
- Warranty Deed: Meaning, the Six Covenants, and How It Differs From a QuitclaimA warranty deed is the deed where the seller guarantees clear title. The six covenants, a quitclaim comparison, and the Cook County share of warranty deeds.
Related terms
Source: Legal Information Institute, Wex: acknowledgment. Plain-English summary of general US usage; state law varies, and this is not legal advice.