An ACORD 25 request is often ambiguous: recipients may mean a true-copy certification, a separate custodian affidavit, or insurer verification. A notary does not verify coverage, limits, or additional-insured status.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed September 9, 2026
The first question is what the recipient means by "notarize the insurance certificate." An ACORD certificate is an insurance-industry form that includes producer and authorized-representative information. An insured should not add a new signature to an existing certificate solely to make it appear notarized unless the form or recipient actually calls for that signature.
If the recipient wants a notarized true copy, a qualifying copy may be handled through an available notarial copy-certification process under the governing law. If the recipient instead wants a company representative to swear that an attached certificate is the copy held by the business, a separate custodian affidavit may be used when appropriate. The notary does not independently verify the insurer, policy, coverage limits, additional-insured status, cancellation rights, or accuracy of the insurance information.
These facts separate the insurance certificate from the notarial act. ACORD form editions and recipient instructions control when they differ from this summary.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| What ACORD 25 is | An insurance-industry Certificate of Liability Insurance form developed through ACORD's standardized forms program—not an insurer policy document issued by ACORD. |
| ACORD's role | ACORD develops standardized insurance forms. ACORD is not the insurer and directs insurance questions to the insurer, agent, or producer. |
| Producer field | Certificate of Insurance forms include a Producer field identifying the agency or producer that issued the certificate. |
| Ambiguous "notarize" request | May mean signature notarization, true-copy certification, a custodian affidavit, or insurer/producer verification—which is not a notary function. |
| Insured signature | Do not add an insured signature solely to create a notarization opportunity unless the form or recipient workflow requires that signature. |
| True-copy path | Where authorized—such as Florida Statutes §117.05(12)—a notary may supervise and attest the trueness of a qualifying copy or printout. |
| Custodian-affidavit path | A separate sworn statement by an authorized company representative about the attached certificate copy, leaving the underlying ACORD page unchanged. |
| What the notary does not verify | Carrier solvency, active coverage, policy limits, additional-insured endorsements, certificate accuracy, or contract compliance. |
| Insurance questions | Contact the producer, agent, or insurer—not the notary—for coverage and certificate content questions. |
Businesses, landlords, general contractors, and lenders often ask for a "notarized" ACORD 25 Certificate of Liability Insurance. That wording can describe several different documents, and choosing the wrong procedure can delay a bid, lease, or project start.
This guide explains how to separate copy certification, custodian affidavits, and insurer verification when someone asks to notarize an insurance certificate. It does not provide insurance advice, and it does not reproduce ACORD form text.
iRemoteNotary is a national and international online-notary organization. Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state. This article is general information about document execution and notarization—not coverage analysis or underwriting.
ACORD develops standardized insurance forms used widely in the United States. Certificate of Insurance forms include producer and authorized-representative information so certificate holders can see who issued the certificate and which policies are summarized.
ACORD itself is not the insurer. Official ACORD Forms resources explain that insurance questions should go to the insurer, agent, or producer identified on the certificate—not to ACORD as if ACORD were the carrier.
An ACORD 25 Certificate of Liability Insurance is commonly used to summarize liability coverage for a certificate holder such as a landlord, owner, general contractor, or lender. The certificate is a communication tool about insurance; it is not the policy itself.
Because ACORD forms are proprietary standardized instruments, this article does not reproduce ACORD form wording, field labels beyond the publicly described Producer concept, or large portions of any ACORD 25 edition. Confirm the current form through ACORD's Forms portal or Forms Search before relying on edition-specific details.
Review ACORD's official Forms resources(opens in a new tab) and the ACORD Forms portal(opens in a new tab) for current form availability.
Possible meanings include:
When a recipient says "notarize the ACORD 25," the request may mean several different things. Treating them as interchangeable is one of the most common reasons insurance-certificate notarization requests fail.
Ask the recipient to confirm the exact procedure in writing before anyone signs, stamps, or schedules a notary session.
| What the recipient may want | Who typically handles it |
|---|---|
| Signature notarization on a required statement | The named signer; notary completes the requested notarial act |
| Certified true copy of the certificate | Authorized notary under applicable copy-certification law |
| Company custodian affidavit about an attached copy | Authorized company representative signs; notary notarizes that affidavit |
| Confirmation of coverage, limits, or additional insured status | Producer, agent, or insurer—not the notary |
If the recipient cannot identify which row applies, pause the notarization request until the instruction is clarified.
Do not add an insured's signature to an existing ACORD certificate merely because someone said the document must be "notarized." Many certificates are issued by a producer and already contain the authorized-representative information for that issuance workflow. Adding a new insured signature solely to create a notarial seal can confuse the recipient and does not convert the certificate into coverage verification.
Before anyone signs, ask the recipient these clarifying questions:
If the recipient wants insurer confirmation, contact the producer or carrier. If the recipient wants a business affidavit about a copy, use a separate affidavit rather than altering the certificate page casually.
Some recipients want a notarized true copy of the insurance certificate already held by the business. Under Florida Statutes §117.05(12), a Florida notary may supervise the making of a copy of a tangible or electronic record, or the printing of an electronic record, and attest to the trueness of that copy or printout when statutory requirements are satisfied.
That statutory act concerns the accuracy of the copy or printout relative to the record presented—not whether the underlying insurance information is correct, current, or contractually sufficient. Vital records and public records obtainable as certified copies from an official custodian are excluded under the statute.
Only a qualifying record should be presented for copy attestation. The notary does not independently contact the insurer, review the policy, or certify that coverage remains in force.
For the broader distinction between direct true-copy certification and a separate custodian affidavit, see the business-document copy guide. For LLC operating-agreement true-copy requests that raise related copy questions, see the LLC true-copy guide.
Read business document copy certification vs. custodian affidavit. Read LLC operating agreement true-copy notarization.
Other recipients do not want the notary to attest the copy under a copy-certification statute. They want a company representative to swear or affirm that an attached certificate is the copy maintained in the company's records.
Educationally, that statement often looks like this concept: the affiant is an authorized representative or records custodian of the company, and the attached certificate is the copy maintained in the company's records. That illustration is not a reusable legal form and should not be treated as one. Use the wording the recipient provides, or wording counsel prepares for your company.
In a custodian-affidavit workflow, the affiant signs a separate affidavit. If a jurat or oath is requested, the signature is completed under the applicable oath or affirmation procedure. The underlying ACORD certificate page generally remains unchanged; the affidavit speaks about the attached copy rather than rewriting the certificate.
A notarized custodian affidavit is still not insurer verification. The notary identifies the affiant and completes the requested notarial act on the affidavit. The notary does not confirm the insurance facts recited in or summarized by the certificate.
Read how sworn affidavits may be notarized online when a separate statement is required.
The notary does not independently verify:
This is the most important trust boundary in an insurance-certificate notarization request. A notary public is not an underwriter, claims examiner, or coverage auditor.
For those questions, contact the producer, agent, or insurer identified on the certificate. Notarization does not replace that insurance inquiry.
A member, manager, officer, or other authorized representative may sign a separate custodian affidavit when that statement is truthful and the company or recipient identifies that person as an appropriate affiant.
The notary does not establish corporate authority, review operating agreements, or decide who may bind the company for insurance or contracting purposes. Capacity questions belong to the company, its counsel, and the receiving party's instructions.
If multiple entities or certificate holders are involved, confirm whether each needs its own statement and attachment package rather than combining unrelated certificates into one informal package.
Florida law authorizes registered online notaries to perform online notarizations under Chapter 117, including procedures described in §117.209 and §117.265. Florida Statutes §117.05 also contemplates that authorized copy attestation may be performed consistently with electronic or online notarization rules when the statutory requirements are met.
That framework does not promise that every RON platform can complete every copy-certification request, or that every recipient will accept an electronically notarized true copy or custodian affidavit. Confirm both platform capability and recipient acceptance before scheduling.
If the signer is abroad, international identity verification for eligible U.S.-related documents typically relies on supported government photo identification, credential analysis, biometric verification, and live audio-video appearance rather than treating knowledge-based authentication as the primary international path. Recipient acceptance remains a separate question.
Prepare supported identification before the session. Review acceptable identification for online notarization.
Send the unsigned affidavit or certificate package, the recipient's written instruction, and the signer's location so iRemoteNotary can review whether the requested notarial act is appropriate before scheduling.
Sometimes, depending on what the recipient actually wants. Possible paths include notarizing a required signature on a separate statement, authenticating a qualifying true copy under applicable law, or notarizing a custodian affidavit about an attached certificate. Adding a random insured signature solely to "get it notarized" is usually the wrong approach. The notary does not verify insurance coverage.
No, not merely to create a notarization opportunity. Do not add an insured signature unless the form or recipient workflow actually requires that signature on a defined statement. Ask whose signature is required, what statement is being signed, and whether the request is really for copy certification or insurer verification.
Potentially, when applicable law authorizes copy certification or attestation for the presented record and the notary can lawfully perform that act. Florida Statutes §117.05(12) is one example of a copy-attestation framework. True-copy attestation concerns the copy's fidelity to the presented record, not the truth of the insurance information.
No. Notarization does not verify carrier status, active coverage, policy limits, additional-insured endorsements, cancellation rights, or certificate accuracy. Contact the producer, agent, or insurer for insurance facts.
An authorized company representative or records custodian who can truthfully make the requested statement typically signs the separate affidavit. The notary does not decide corporate authority. Follow the company's internal authority rules and the recipient's instructions.
Potentially, when the governing notary law permits the specific act, the RON platform can support it, and the recipient accepts an electronically notarized result. Florida's online-notarization statutes provide a framework for eligible online acts, but platform support and recipient acceptance must still be confirmed.
Separate attachments and certificates are often clearer when the records, named insureds, or certificate holders differ. That does not mean the law always requires a separate affidavit for every page. Ask the requesting party whether one declaration may cover multiple clearly identified attachments, or whether each certificate needs its own sworn statement and package.
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
ACORD Forms(opens in a new tab)
ACORD
Accessed September 9, 2026
ACORD Forms Portal(opens in a new tab)
ACORD
Accessed September 9, 2026
Contact Us — ACORD Is Not an Insurance Company(opens in a new tab)
ACORD
Accessed September 9, 2026
Florida Senate
Accessed September 9, 2026
Florida Statutes § 117.209 — Authority to Perform Online Notarizations(opens in a new tab)
Florida Senate
Accessed September 9, 2026
Florida Statutes § 117.265 — Online Notarization Procedures(opens in a new tab)
Florida Senate
Accessed September 9, 2026
Send the recipient's written instruction, the certificate package or unsigned affidavit, and the signer's location. iRemoteNotary can review the proposed notarial workflow before scheduling.