WITNESS my hand and official seal. Signature. (Seal). A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual.The certificate of acknowledgment (PDF) must be in the form set forth in California Civil Code section 1189. Must be complete names for each signor. Example, John and Jane Smith would not be acceptable. The so-called "all-purpose" acknowledgment wording, as prescribed in. Proper Forms: Use of prescribed acknowledgment forms is mandatory. Templates can be found on the California Secretary of State's website.