2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 24 - GOVERNMENT - STATE (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-116-102) › ADMINISTRATION (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-19.9-103) › Article 12 - OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS (§§ 24-12-101 — 24-12-108) › Section 24-12-104 - Officers in armed forces empowered to perform notarial acts

(1)
In addition to the acknowledgment of instruments and the performance of other notarial acts in the manner and form and as otherwise authorized by law, instruments may be acknowledged, documents attested, oaths and affirmations administered, depositions and affidavits executed, and other notarial acts performed before or by any commissioned officer in active service of the armed forces of the United States or any such officer performing inactive-duty training with the equivalent rank of second lieutenant or higher in any component part of the armed forces of the United States, by or for any person who is a member of the armed forces of the United States, or is serving as a merchant seaman outside the limits of the United States included within the fifty states and the District of Columbia, or is outside said limits by permission, assignment, or direction of any department or official of the United States government, in connection with any activity pertaining to the prosecution of any war in which the United States is then engaged.
(2)
Such acknowledgment of instruments, attestation of documents, administration of oaths and affirmations, execution of depositions and affidavits, and performance of other notarial acts, whenever made or taken, are hereby declared legal, valid, and binding, and instruments and documents so acknowledged, authenticated, or sworn to shall be admissible in evidence and eligible to record in this state under the same circumstances and with the same force and effect as if such acknowledgment, attestation, oath, affirmation, deposition, affidavit, or other notarial act had been made or taken within this state before or by a duly qualified officer or official as otherwise provided by law.
(3)
In the taking of acknowledgments and the performing of other notarial acts requiring certification, a certificate indorsed upon or attached to the instrument or document that shows the date of the notarial act and that states, in substance, that the person appearing before the officer acknowledged the instrument as his or her act or made or signed the instrument or document under oath or affirmation shall be sufficient for all intents and purposes. The instrument or document shall not be rendered invalid by the failure to state the place of execution or acknowledgment.
(4)
If the signature, rank, and branch of service or subdivision thereof of any such commissioned officer appears upon such instrument or document or certificate, no further proof of the authority of such officer so to act shall be required, and such action by such commissioned officer shall be prima facie evidence that the person making such oath or acknowledgment is within the purview of this section.
(5)
If any instrument is acknowledged substantially as provided in this section, whether such acknowledgment has been taken before or after February 27, 1943, such acknowledgment shall be prima facie evidence of proper execution of such instrument and shall carry with it the presumptions provided for by section
38-35-101
, C.R.S.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 88,§ 5, eff. 8/8/2018.
L. 43: p. 218, § 2. CSA: C. 115, § 3A. L. 47: p. 355, § 3A. CRS 53: § 98-1-4. C.R.S. 1963: § 98-1-4. L. 91: (1) amended, p. 1379, § 1, effective May 18. L. 2018: (3) amended, (HB 18-1138), ch. 88, p. 693, § 5, effective August 8.
(1) For acknowledgments by persons in the armed forces, see § 38-30-127. (2) For the legislative declaration in HB 18-1138, see section 1 of chapter 88, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.