Specialized Notary Solutions for Individuals and Businesses

The purpose of an acknowledgment is to verify the identity of the document's signer and confirm that they have voluntarily signed it. This process is typically required for documents involving valuable assets, such as deeds, mortgages, and deeds of trust. 

A jurat serves to confirm that a signer swears or affirms the truthfulness of the contents of a document. Depending on the jurisdiction, this may also be referred to as an affidavit, verification on oath, or affirmation. 

For a jurat, the signer must appear before you in person and sign the document in your presence. You are then required to administer an oath or affirmation, during which the signer must verbally assert that the statements in the document are true. The decision to choose between an oath and an affirmation rests with the signer. 

Occasionally, a client may need you to administer an oath or affirmation verbally, outside of a formal jurat, affidavit, or other written document. The purpose of this verbal process is to ensure the client’s commitment to truthfulness.

An oath is a solemn pledge made to a Supreme Being, while an affirmation is a pledge made on the individual’s personal honor. The choice between an oath and an affirmation should be made by the signer.

Copy certification confirms that a copy of an original document is a complete, true, and accurate reproduction of the original. Documents that may require copy certification include diplomas, driver’s licenses, leases, contracts, vehicle titles, Social Security cards, medical records, and bills of sale. 

With signature witnessing, you certify that the person appearing before you is who they claim to be and that the signature on the document belongs to them.

The key distinction between signature witnessing and acknowledgment is that in signature witnessing, you observe the signing of the document. Unlike a jurat, affidavit, or verification on oath or affirmation, signature witnessing does not involve administering an oath.