What Is a Jurat? Wording, Examples and a Free Printable Form
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Jurat wording is set by state law and changes over time. Use your state's page for the exact form, and confirm with the agency that will receive the document.
Free jurat form builder and oath script
Pick the wording your state uses, fill the details, and print the jurat certificate to attach to your affidavit or sworn statement. The second tab gives the oath or affirmation script, which is the part most people do not know exists until the notary asks them to raise their right hand.
What is a jurat?
A jurat is a notarial certificate stating that a named person appeared before the notary, was identified, signed the document in the notary's presence, and swore or affirmed that its contents are true. The word is Latin for "to swear," and Cornell's legal dictionary defines it as a certificate attached to an affidavit or deposition to signify that the affidavit was properly made before a duly authorized officer. One consequence often missed: the jurat is not part of the affidavit itself. It sits at the foot of the document or on an attached page, and it is the notary's statement, not the signer's.
What is the standard jurat wording?
Almost every state uses some version of "Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on (date) by (name)." The three families below cover practically all of them. Ohio's law is helpfully explicit, accepting "sworn to and subscribed before me," "affirmed to and subscribed before me," or a substantial equivalent, which tells you the exact letters matter less than the two ideas: the signer subscribed, and the signer swore.
Modern uniform wording
State of ______
County of ______
Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on ______ (date) by ____________ (name(s) of individual(s) making statement).
Traditional wording
State of ______, County of ______
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ______ day of ____________, 20____, by ____________.
California wording, with its required boxed notice
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.
Signature of notary public
(Seal or stamp)
My commission expires: ______
What does a jurat certify, exactly?
Four facts at once, and each one is a separate duty for the notary. Miss any of them and the certificate says something that did not happen.
| # | What the jurat certifies | What the notary must actually do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The signer appeared | In person, at the time of the act, with no exceptions for phone or email |
| 2 | The signer was identified | By personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of identity |
| 3 | The signer signed in the notary's presence | Watch the signature happen, unlike an acknowledgment |
| 4 | The signer swore or affirmed | Administer an oath or affirmation out loud and hear the answer |
Does a jurat require an oath out loud?
Yes, and this is the step skipped most often. The notary has to administer an oath or affirmation aloud, and the signer has to respond, usually with "I do." A silent signature and a stamp is not a jurat, whatever the certificate says. The oath exists to impress on the signer that the statement is serious and that a knowing falsehood has consequences, which is why a false statement made under a jurat exposes the signer to perjury. An affirmation is the same act without religious reference and carries identical legal weight, so anyone uncomfortable swearing can affirm instead.
Can a jurat be used on a document with blank spaces?
Not in Arizona, which forbids performing a jurat on a document containing blank spaces or that is otherwise incomplete. The logic is hard to argue with: the signer is swearing the whole document is true, and nobody can swear to a sentence that has not been written yet. Arizona applies no such restriction to acknowledgments, though its Secretary of State still recommends against notarizing anything with obvious blanks. Wherever you are, fill every field before the appointment, or strike unused lines through.
When is a jurat the wrong certificate?
Whenever no oath was administered, and using one anyway is a violation in some states rather than a loose end. Ohio forbids using a jurat certificate for an act where no oath or affirmation was given, and forbids an acknowledgment certificate where one was. Ohio also handles the aftermath sensibly: if a certificate incorrectly states the type of notarization performed, the notary must supply a corrected certificate at no charge. The choice between the two acts belongs to you or the agency requesting the document, since a notary who is not an attorney may explain the difference but may not advise which one fits your situation.
How do you fill out a jurat step by step?
Bring the document unsigned, because a jurat requires the signature to happen in front of the notary. From there the sequence is fixed, and the tool above produces the paperwork for step five.
1. Complete every blank in the document itself, leaving only the signature line empty.
2. Appear in person and present acceptable identification.
3. The notary administers the oath or affirmation aloud; you answer.
4. You sign the document while the notary watches.
5. The notary completes the jurat certificate, signs, and applies the seal.
What does a jurat look like for someone signing on behalf of another?
The certificate names both people. Ohio's Secretary of State gives the pattern in plain terms: "Sworn to and subscribed before me on (date) by Jane Doe, attorney in fact for John Smith." The signature on the document itself has to match that structure, showing the signer and the principal rather than the principal's name alone. Vehicle titles are worth extra care here, since Ohio reports that certificates of title generate a high volume of complaints and investigations. If the representative capacity is not written into both the signature and the certificate, expect the filing to come back.
Jurat wording by state
Wording varies more than the family names suggest, and small differences matter to a recorder. Alaska's statutory jurat, for instance, names a place rather than a county, because the state has boroughs. California requires a boxed disclaimer above the wording. Arizona requires the words "My Commission Expires" inside the certificate text, not just on the stamp. Pick your state below for the exact form and a fillable certificate.
Jurat: frequently asked questions
- What is a jurat?
- A notarial certificate stating that a signer appeared, was identified, signed in the notary's presence, and swore or affirmed that the document's contents are true.
- What is the standard jurat wording?
- Some version of "Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on (date) by (name)." Ohio also accepts "sworn to and subscribed before me" or a substantial equivalent.
- Does a jurat require an oath out loud?
- Yes. The notary administers an oath or affirmation, spoken aloud, and the signer must respond. Signing and stamping without it is not a jurat.
- Can a jurat be used on a document with blank spaces?
- No in Arizona, which forbids a jurat on a document containing blank spaces. The rule follows from the signer swearing the whole document is true.
- What documents usually need a jurat?
- Affidavits, sworn statements, depositions, and court filings. The title does not decide it; the printed notarial wording on the document does.
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Ohio Revised Code 147.542 and Ohio Secretary of State notary resources; California Government Code 8202; Arizona Revised Statutes 41-311 and 41-313 and the Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual; Alaska Statutes 09.63.030; the Cornell Legal Information Institute definition of jurat. Confirm your state's wording before relying on this.