An acknowledgment is a notarial act in which the signer personally appears before the notary and acknowledges that the signature on the record is his or her own. It does not verify that the contents of the deed are true. It is not itself the authorization to convey property; the deed and the grantor’s legal capacity accomplish that. It is also not simply a signature on a deed. The acknowledgment provides evidence of proper execution and supports recordability of the instrument. This matters in title insurance because a defective acknowledgment can create a recording or title problem. Pennsylvania’s Department of State explains that a person may sign in the notary’s presence or acknowledge that the signature on the document is his or her own.
