The certificate of acknowledgment (PDF) must be in the form set forth in California Civil Code section 1189. WITNESS my hand and official seal. Signature. (Seal).A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual. In today's video I'm going to show you how to complete a California Acknowledgement and a California Giraffe. This article and video will show Notaries to fill out each part of a notarial certificate, and common mistakes to avoid. Click on the sample letter that may be used to acknowledge receipt of an applicant's resume or application.