Jurat vs acknowledgment comes down to one question: does the signer swear to the truth of the document? A jurat is a notarial certificate confirming that the signer swore or affirmed the contents were true and signed in front of the notary. An acknowledgment is a notarial certificate confirming that the signer was identified and declared that they signed willingly – no oath is involved.
Both – sometimes searched as jurat vs acknowledgement, with the British spelling – are among the most common notarial acts in the United States, and both end with the notary’s signature and seal. But they certify different things, use different wording, and suit different documents. This guide explains what a jurat is, what an acknowledgment is, the five key differences between them, and how to tell which one your document needs.
Jurat vs Acknowledgment at a Glance
The short answer: a jurat is about the truth of the statement, an acknowledgment is about the identity and willingness of the signer.
| Jurat | Acknowledgment | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Confirms the signer swore or affirmed that the contents are true | Confirms the signer was identified and declared they signed willingly |
| Oath or affirmation | Required | Not required |
| When you sign | In front of the notary | Before or at the appointment; you then acknowledge the signature |
| Typical wording | “Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me” | “Acknowledged before me” |
| Typical documents | Affidavits, sworn statements, verified applications | Deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney, contracts |
| What the notary does not certify | The truth of the contents | The truth of the contents |
Key takeaways:
- A jurat adds an oath. The signer swears or affirms, under penalty of perjury, that the statement is true.
- An acknowledgment adds no oath. It confirms who signed and that they did so willingly.
- Neither one makes the notary vouch for the content. The notary verifies the signer, not the facts in the document.
- The document or its recipient decides which one is needed, usually through the certificate wording already printed on it.
What Is a Jurat?
A jurat is the notarial certificate used when a signer swears or affirms that the contents of a document are true and signs it in the notary’s presence. The word comes from Latin for “to swear”, and the Legal Information Institute describes a jurat as a certificate attached to an affidavit to show that it was properly made before an authorized officer.
State law spells out what the notary is certifying. Under California Government Code § 8202, when executing a jurat the notary must administer an oath or affirmation, confirm the signer’s identity from satisfactory evidence, and have the signer sign in the notary’s presence. The California Notary Public Handbook summarizes it as four facts the notary certifies in a jurat:
- The signer personally appeared before the notary on the date and in the county indicated.
- The signer signed the document in the notary’s presence.
- The notary administered the oath or affirmation.
- The identity of the signer.
What a jurat certificate says
A jurat is easy to recognize from its wording. In California it reads “Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on this ___ day of ___, 20__, by ___, proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) who appeared before me.” In Florida, the statutory form in Florida Statutes § 117.05 reads “Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me”.
If you see the words “sworn”, “subscribed and sworn” or “affirmed” in the notary block, the document calls for a jurat.
What is an example of a jurat?
The most common example is an affidavit. The person making the affidavit – the affiant – swears that the statements are true, signs in front of the notary, and the notary completes the jurat at the end. Other examples include sworn declarations of fact, verified applications, and many forms that a court or government agency asks you to sign “under oath”.
What Is an Acknowledgment?
An acknowledgment is the notarial certificate used when a signer appears before a notary, is identified, and declares that they signed the document voluntarily. The Legal Information Institute describes an acknowledgment as a formal declaration before an official that one has executed a particular legal document.
According to the California Notary Public Handbook, the certificate of acknowledgment is the form notaries complete most often. In it, the notary certifies three facts:
- The signer personally appeared before the notary on the date and in the county indicated.
- The identity of the signer.
- The signer acknowledged executing the document.
Notice what is missing compared with a jurat: there is no oath, and the notary does not certify that the document was signed in front of them. That is why a signer can sign the document before the appointment and then acknowledge the signature to the notary in person.
What an acknowledgment certificate says
An acknowledgment certificate typically includes the words “acknowledged before me”. Florida’s statutory short form reads “The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me by means of physical presence or online notarization”, followed by the date and the name of the person acknowledging. In California, the certificate must follow the form set out in Civil Code § 1189.
Acknowledgments can also be made in a representative capacity – for example, by a company officer, a trustee, or an attorney-in-fact signing on behalf of someone else. The certificate then names the capacity and the party the signer represents.
What is an example of an acknowledgment?
Property deeds and mortgages are the classic examples, because land records rely on proof that the owner genuinely signed. A power of attorney is another common one: the notary confirms that the principal is who they say they are and signed willingly, without asking them to swear to anything.
5 Key Differences Between a Jurat and an Acknowledgment
Here are the differences that matter in practice, in the order people usually run into them.
1. The oath
A jurat requires an oath or affirmation; an acknowledgment does not. With a jurat, the signer answers a question such as “Do you solemnly swear (or affirm) that the statements in this document are true?” With an acknowledgment, the signer only confirms that the signature is theirs and was given freely.
2. When you sign
For a jurat, you sign in front of the notary. California law states that the affiant shall sign the document in the presence of the notary. For an acknowledgment, the document can be signed beforehand, as long as you personally appear and acknowledge the signature.
3. What the notary certifies
In a jurat, the notary certifies that the oath was administered and that the document was signed in their presence. In an acknowledgment, the notary certifies that you appeared, were identified, and acknowledged signing. Both confirm identity; only the jurat confirms the oath.
4. The certificate wording
A jurat says “subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me”. An acknowledgment says “acknowledged before me”. The wording is how notaries, courts, and registries tell the two apart, and a notary seal and signature cannot be added to a document without the correct notarial wording, according to the California handbook.
5. The documents that use them
Jurats belong to documents where the truth of the content matters, such as affidavits and sworn statements. Acknowledgments belong to documents where the genuineness of the signature matters, such as deeds, mortgages, trusts, powers of attorney, and many contracts.
What Neither a Jurat nor an Acknowledgment Certifies
Neither certificate means the notary has checked that the document is true, accurate, or legally valid. California makes this explicit: every certificate of acknowledgment and every jurat taken in the state must carry a boxed notice stating that the notary “verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document.”
With a jurat, responsibility for the truth lies with the signer, who has sworn to it under penalty of perjury. With an acknowledgment, the signer confirms the signature, and the content remains the signer’s own responsibility.
Jurat or Acknowledgment: Which One Do You Need?
The document or its recipient decides, not the signer’s preference. In most cases the answer is already printed on the document.
- Look at the notary block. “Sworn”, “subscribed and sworn” or “affirmed” means a jurat; “acknowledged” means an acknowledgment.
- Look at the document type. Affidavits and sworn statements normally need a jurat; deeds, powers of attorney, and contracts normally need an acknowledgment.
- Ask the recipient if there is no certificate. The court, agency, bank, or lawyer that asked for notarization can tell you which act they require.
Some documents contain more than one notary block, for example a form with a sworn statement on one page and a signature for acknowledgment on another. In that case each block is completed with the act printed next to it, and the notary may perform both acts in the same appointment.
Many notaries will not choose the certificate for you, because deciding which notarial act a document needs can amount to legal advice, and a Notary Public who is not an attorney cannot give legal advice. The California handbook, for example, reminds notaries of exactly that limit.
Common Mistakes With Jurats and Acknowledgments
Most rejected notarizations come down to a handful of avoidable errors. These are the ones to watch for.
- Signing before a jurat. A jurat requires you to sign in the notary’s presence after the oath. If you have already signed a document that needs a jurat, you will usually have to sign a fresh copy.
- Sending the document instead of appearing. Both acts require the signer to personally appear. The California handbook states that neither an acknowledgment nor a jurat can be completed for a document mailed or otherwise delivered to a notary without the signer appearing.
- Leaving the document incomplete. Under California Government Code § 8205, a notary must refuse to notarize a document that is clearly incomplete. Fill in or cross out every blank before the appointment.
- Using a name that does not match your ID. The notary identifies you from satisfactory evidence, usually a government-issued photo ID, so the name on the document should match it.
- Asking the notary to pick the certificate. If the document has no notarial wording, ask the recipient or the person who drafted it which act is required before you book.
Jurats, Acknowledgments and Online Notarization
Online notarization is recognized for both acts in some states, but the rules differ from state to state. Florida’s statutory forms include a checkbox for “physical presence or online notarization” on both the jurat and the acknowledgment. California’s handbook, by contrast, states that a jurat cannot be completed for a signer who did not personally appear, take an oath, and sign in the notary’s presence.
If your document must be notarized under a specific state’s law – for example, a deed recorded in a U.S. county – use a notary commissioned in that state and follow its rules. Before booking any online service, check that the recipient accepts online notarization at all, and whether it expects a notary from a particular state or country.
Documents going abroad
When a document is going to a recipient in another country, the U.S. jurat and acknowledgment forms often matter less than what the foreign authority accepts. NotaryPublic24’s International Notarization adds the seal, signature, and a notarial certificate of your appointed Notary Public, stating exactly what was verified and when. If the recipient requires an oath sworn in person, or a certificate from a notary in a specific country, contact support before ordering.
Many documents going abroad also need an Apostille, which makes the notarized document recognized in countries that are part of the Hague Convention. Our guide to Apostille vs notarization explains when you need both.
How to Get a Document Notarized Online with NotaryPublic24
If your affidavit, declaration, or power of attorney is going abroad, NotaryPublic24 handles the notarization online in five steps.
- Check the recipient’s requirements. Confirm whether they need a notarization only, an Apostille as well, an oath sworn in person, or a notary from a specific country. If you are unsure, contact support before ordering.
- Prepare the document and leave it unsigned. Draft it yourself, use the recipient’s form, or create it with our guided affidavit form.
- Upload and check out. Upload the document and choose International Notarization, or International Apostille if you also need an Apostille.
- Verify your identity online. Complete the guided biometric and ID check from your phone or computer. It usually takes a few minutes, and there is no meeting to attend.
- Receive your notarized document. You receive a secure PDF with the seal, signature, and notarial certificate of your Notary Public within 24 hours of verification. A hard copy can be posted on request.
For a walkthrough by document type, see how to notarize an affidavit, POA, contract and more, or browse our full range of services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of a jurat?
A jurat shows that the signer swore or affirmed that a document is true and signed it in front of the notary. It turns a written statement into sworn evidence, so a knowingly false statement can be treated as perjury. The notary verifies the signer’s identity and administers the oath, not the truth of the content.
How do you know if a document needs a jurat?
Look at the notary block at the end of the document. Wording such as “sworn to”, “subscribed and sworn to before me” or “affirmed” means a jurat is required. Affidavits and sworn statements almost always use a jurat. If the document has no notary wording, ask the recipient which notarial act they require.
What is another name for a jurat?
In the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, used as the model for many state notary laws, the same act is called a “verification on oath or affirmation”. In everyday use, people also say a document was “sworn to before a notary”. The word jurat comes from Latin for “to swear”.
Is a jurat the same as a notary?
No. A notary, or Notary Public, is the official who performs notarial acts. A jurat is one of those acts – the certificate the notary completes after administering an oath and watching you sign. An acknowledgment is another notarial act. The same notary can perform either, depending on what the document requires.
Can you sign a document before an acknowledgment?
Yes. With an acknowledgment, the signer can sign in advance and then personally appear before the notary to confirm the signature and be identified. A jurat is different: the signer must sign in front of the notary after taking the oath. If you are unsure, leave the document unsigned until you know which act applies.
Jurat vs acknowledgment: which one is used for a power of attorney?
A power of attorney is usually notarized with an acknowledgment, because the notary confirms the principal’s identity and willingness to sign rather than the truth of a statement. Some forms and states use different wording, so always follow the certificate printed on the document. NotaryPublic24 can notarize and Apostille powers of attorney online.