Inspected current official Form 3179 DOCX: acknowledgment space exists, but no pre-printed notary certificate. Notarization follows prepared language, law, and recordation—not an automatic Form 3179 rule.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed September 21, 2026
Not as a universal rule. Current official Form 3179 (Loan Modification Agreement Providing for Fixed Interest Rate) reserves space for acknowledgments but does not print a complete notarial certificate on the face of the uniform instrument. Whether a notarial act is required depends on how your servicer prepares the package, any acknowledgment wording added for your state or recording plan, applicable law, and Servicing Guide recordation rules.
Borrowers execute and return Form 3179; the servicer or Fannie Mae (depending on who is mortgagee of record) must also execute and date it before a Flex Modification is binding and effective under current Fannie requirements.
iRemoteNotary does not negotiate, arrange, approve, recommend, or obtain loan modifications. We perform notarial acts and signing support for completed documents prepared or authorized by a lender, mortgage servicer, attorney, title company, or other authorized party.
| Item | Finding |
|---|---|
| Form | 3179 — Loan Modification Agreement (Providing for Fixed Interest Rate) |
| Source format | Official Fannie Mae DOCX (CURRENT_SOURCE_FORMAT = DOCX) |
| Printed revision | Instrument Revision Date 1/01 (rev. 4/14); instruction log includes updates through 8/25 |
| Notarial certificate on face | CONDITIONAL — acknowledgment space present; no pre-printed notary certificate text |
| Signatures | Borrower seal lines; Lender signature and date; optional MERS nominee line when instructed |
This page is based on direct inspection of the current official Form 3179 DOCX from Fannie Mae’s Selling & Servicing Guide Forms directory on 2026-09-21, together with current Flex Modification processing guidance. Do not rely on outdated PDF caches or third-party blogs for form wording.
Form 3179 is Fannie Mae’s uniform Loan Modification Agreement providing for a fixed interest rate. In Flex Modification processing, the servicer prepares Form 3179 and incorporates applicable provisions according to the Summary / instructions that accompany the form.
The agreement amends and supplements the existing Security Instrument and Note. It is a servicing modification instrument—not a refinance origination package.
Under current D2-3.2-06, a Flex Modification is not binding and effective until applicable conditions are satisfied, including that the borrower has executed and returned Form 3179 and that the servicer or Fannie Mae (depending on the mortgagee of record) executes and dates Form 3179.
Current F-1-27 requires the servicer to ensure borrower execution. If a co-borrower signature cannot be obtained (for reasons such as mental incapacity or military deployment) and the servicer decides to continue, the servicer must document the exception in the servicing records. The notary does not decide whether a co-borrower may be omitted.
The inspected Form 3179 ends with a line reserving space below for acknowledgments. It does not contain a filled-in “State of / County of / Notary Public” certificate block on the uniform face.
Instructions tell lenders they must revise the document as necessary to comply with applicable federal, state, and local law and to keep the mortgage fully enforceable in first-lien position. That can include adding jurisdiction-appropriate acknowledgment language when the package will be recorded.
Therefore: do not say “Form 3179 always requires notarization.” Review the exact certificate pages your servicer sent.
Current F-1-27 directs the servicer to record the executed Loan Modification Agreement when recordation is necessary to ensure the modified mortgage retains its first lien position and enforceability (including through bankruptcy or foreclosure), or when the agreement includes assignment of leases and rents provisions. A title endorsement or similar product is required when the agreement will be recorded.
Form instructions also allow omitting unnecessary recording information when the document will not be recorded—subject to Servicing Guide requirements.
Current Flex Modification guidance states that electronic documents, signatures, and notarizations are acceptable when the electronic record complies with Fannie Mae’s requirements. Selling Guide A2-4.1-03 expressly contemplates electronic notarization—including remote online notarization—of mortgage loan modification agreements when legal and Fannie requirements are met, including recorder acceptance when recording is required.
Fannie permission is not automatic servicer approval. Confirm the path with your servicer before booking. See loan modification remote online notarization.
Send the unsigned final servicer version—including any acknowledgment pages—and confirm whether remote online notarization is permitted.
No. The current official Form 3179 DOCX provides acknowledgment space but no universal pre-printed notary certificate. Notarization depends on the prepared package, applicable law, and recordation requirements.
Borrowers execute and return it. The servicer or Fannie Mae (depending on who is mortgagee of record) must also execute and date it before a Flex Modification is binding and effective under current Fannie requirements.
Only if the servicer decides an exception applies and documents it. The notary cannot authorize omitting a required co-borrower.
Possibly, when Fannie’s electronic/RON requirements, applicable law, servicer workflow, and any recording acceptance all align. Confirm with your servicer first.
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.
Fannie Mae
Accessed September 21, 2026
Selling & Servicing Guide Forms(opens in a new tab)
Fannie Mae
Accessed September 21, 2026
D2-3.2-06, Fannie Mae Flex Modification(opens in a new tab)
Fannie Mae
Accessed September 21, 2026
F-1-27, Processing a Fannie Mae Flex Modification(opens in a new tab)
Fannie Mae
Accessed September 21, 2026
A2-4.1-03, Electronic Records, Signatures, and Transactions(opens in a new tab)
Fannie Mae
Accessed September 21, 2026
If your Flex Modification packet includes Form 3179 with an acknowledgment to complete, confirm the execution method with your servicer, then start with the unsigned final document.