Do You Need to Circle Pronouns on Notarial Certificates? Here’s What You Should Know

Published August 4, 2024 · Updated May 26, 2026

Notarial certificates often include language like “he/she/they” or “his/her/their” in the body text. The question is whether you, as the notary, need to circle or underline the pronoun that applies to the signer. The short answer: it depends on your state, and in most cases, it does not matter as long as the certificate is otherwise complete and accurate.

Where Pronouns Appear on Notarial Certificates

A typical acknowledgment certificate might read: “On this day, before me personally appeared John Doe, who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument, and acknowledged that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity.”

The pronouns are there because the certificate is a pre-printed form that must work for any signer, regardless of gender. When you complete the certificate, you fill in the signer’s name, the date, the venue, and your signature and seal. The question is whether you also need to indicate which pronoun applies.

States That Require Circling Pronouns

A few states have specific rules:

• California: The California notary handbook states that the notary should cross out inapplicable pronouns. This is expected practice for California notaries.
• Florida: Florida notary law does not specifically address pronoun circling. The certificate is considered valid as long as the required elements (venue, date, name, signature, seal) are correct.
• Texas: Texas notary law does not require circling pronouns. The certificate is valid without it.
• New York: No specific requirement. The notary needs to complete the required elements correctly.

Most states fall into the category of not requiring pronoun circling. If your state’s notary handbook or statutes do not mention it, you are not legally required to do it.

What Title Companies and Lenders Expect

Even when your state does not require it, some title companies and lenders prefer that you circle the correct pronoun. Their reason is simple: it removes ambiguity and makes the document cleaner for the county recorder’s office. A document with a circled pronoun is less likely to be kicked back for review.

If the signing instructions from the title company say to circle pronouns, follow their instructions. You are completing the documents to their specifications. If the instructions do not mention it, either approach (circling or not circling) is acceptable in most states.

What Happens If You Circle the Wrong Pronoun

If you circle the wrong pronoun on a notarial certificate, the certificate is not automatically invalid. The identity of the signer is established by their name, their signature, their government-issued ID, and your notary journal entry, not by the pronoun in the body text.

In practice, circling the wrong pronoun is unlikely to cause a problem unless the document is being reviewed by someone who is being extremely strict about form compliance. If a recorder or title company does flag it, the fix is usually a simple correction or re-execution.

If you have not yet circled any pronouns and are unsure whether to do so, the safest approach is to leave them as-is. A certificate with unmarked pronouns is valid in every state. A certificate with a wrong pronoun circled creates a minor issue that someone has to address.

Practical Tips for Signing Agents

• Read the signing instructions: If the title company or signing service says to circle pronouns, do it. If they do not mention it, use your judgment based on your state’s rules.
• Know your state’s rule: Check your state notary handbook. If it says to cross out inapplicable pronouns (as California does), follow that rule for every signing in your state.
• Be consistent: Whatever approach you take, do it the same way every time. Consistency prevents mistakes.
• Do not overthink it: Pronoun handling is a minor detail compared to getting the signer’s name, date, venue, signature, and seal correct. Focus your attention on those elements first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to circle pronouns on a notarial certificate?

Only if your state’s notary law requires it (California is the most notable example) or if the title company’s signing instructions specify it. Otherwise, leaving pronouns unmarked is standard practice.

What if I circle the wrong pronoun?

The notarial certificate is still valid. The signer’s identity is established by their name, signature, and ID, not the pronoun. If the title company flags it, you may need to correct or re-execute the certificate.

Should I circle pronouns on every document in a loan package?

Only on documents that include notarial certificates (the mortgage, deed of trust, or affidavits that require notarization). The rest of the loan documents do not have notarial certificates and do not require pronoun marking.

Does circling pronouns affect the validity of the notarization?

No. Whether you circle pronouns or leave them unmarked has no effect on the legal validity of the notarization, as long as the required elements (signature, seal, date, venue, signer’s name) are correct.