Title 48Territories and Insular PossessionsRelease 119-73

§1421f–1 Acknowledgment of deeds

Title 48 › Chapter CHAPTER 8A— - GUAM › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 1421f–1

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

You may have deeds or other land documents for property in the District of Columbia or any U.S. Territory notarized in Guam, Samoa, or the Canal Zone by a local notary, judge, or any officer who has notary powers. The notary’s certificate must be joined by a certificate from the governor or acting governor saying the notary was really the officer they claimed to be, and documents notarized that way since January 1, 1905 have the same legal effect as ones notarized and certified later.

Full Legal Text

Title 48, §1421f–1

Territories and Insular Possessions — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Deeds and other instruments affecting land situate in the District of Columbia or any Territory of the United States may be acknowledged in the islands of Guam and Samoa or in the Canal Zone before any notary public or judge appointed therein by proper authority, or by any officer therein who has ex officio the powers of a notary public: Provided, That the certificate by such notary in Guam, Samoa, or the Canal Zone, as the case may be, shall be accompanied by the certificate of the governor or acting governor of such place to the effect that the notary taking said acknowledgment was in fact the officer he purported to be; and any deeds or other instruments affecting lands so situate, so acknowledged since the first day of January, 1905, and accompanied by such certificate shall have the same effect as such deeds or other instruments hereafter so acknowledged and certified.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in text, see section 3602(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. Codification Section was not enacted as part of the Organic Act of Guam which comprises this chapter. Section is also classified to section 1663 of this title. Section was formerly classified to section 1358 and 1432 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

48 U.S.C. § 1421f–1

Title 48Territories and Insular Possessions

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73