New Hampshire Jurat Certificate: Wording, the Oath Script and What a Jurat Does Not Prove
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Requirements reflect New Hampshire RSA chapter 456-B and the Notary Public and Justice of the Peace Manual, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the New Hampshire Secretary of State before relying on this.
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Fillable New Hampshire jurat certificate
Enter the county, the date, and the signer, and choose whether the officer is a notary public or a justice of the peace. The second tab carries the oath the state manual scripts, so you can read it aloud rather than improvise.
What is the New Hampshire jurat wording?
The short form in RSA 456-B:8, III is sufficient when completed with the information required by RSA 456-B:7, I, and it closes with a title and rank line so a justice of the peace can use it too.
State of New Hampshire
(County) of ______
Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on ____________ (date) by ____________ (name(s) of person(s) making statement).
(Signature of notarial officer)
(Seal, if any)
Title (and Rank): ______
[My commission expires: ______]
Does a jurat prove the document is true?
No, and New Hampshire says so more plainly than any other state manual. The guidance explains that a jurat on a document does not prove that the contents of the document are true; it simply establishes that the signer has sworn that the contents are true. That distinction is the whole point of the act and the source of most public misunderstanding. A notarized affidavit is evidence that someone swore to something, not evidence that the something happened. The manual pairs this with a reminder that identification is especially important for verifications, because the notary is certifying that the signer attested to the truthfulness of the document.
What oath does a New Hampshire notary say?
The manual supplies wording, which spares New Hampshire notaries the improvisation that states like Colorado leave them with. An example it gives for taking a verification upon oath or affirmation is "Do you solemnly swear that the contents of this [name of document] signed by you are true and correct, so help you God?" with a parallel version for someone who prefers to affirm rather than swear. Naming the document inside the question is a small detail worth copying: it ties the oath to the specific paper in front of you rather than to a vague promise.
| Element | What New Hampshire requires |
|---|---|
| Venue | State of New Hampshire and the county |
| Declaration | The signer declares under oath that the written statement is true |
| Title and rank | Notary public, justice of the peace, or other office |
| Seal or stamp | Name, "notary public, New Hampshire" and the expiration date |
Can a justice of the peace sign a New Hampshire jurat?
Yes. New Hampshire is one of the few states where a justice of the peace performs the same notarial acts as a notary public, which is why the short form ends with "Title (and Rank)" rather than assuming a notary. RSA 456-B:3, III treats the officer's signature together with the seal or stamp as prima facie evidence that the signature is genuine and that the person holds the designated title. For a notary that block states the name, the words "notary public, New Hampshire," and the expiration date; for a justice of the peace it states the justice's name and the expiration date of their commission.
Who else can administer an oath in New Hampshire?
Two groups worth knowing, neither of which needs a notary commission. Any person admitted to the practice of law in New Hampshire may administer an oath or affirmation for the purpose of taking oral testimony, under RSA 456-B:3, IV. Separately, RSA 310-A:181 authorizes licensed court reporters to place any person under oath in the performance of their court reporting duties, without having been designated a notary public, justice of the peace, or commissioner of deeds. Commissioners of deeds and certain members of the military also perform notarial acts, and acts performed within New Hampshire under federal authority have the same effect as if performed by a New Hampshire notarial officer.
How does a New Hampshire jurat differ from an acknowledgment?
By the oath and by what the signer is vouching for. A verification upon oath or affirmation is a declaration by a person, under oath, made in front of a notary public or other authorized official, that his or her written statement is true. An acknowledgment asks only that the signer confirm the signature is theirs and was affixed voluntarily, with no reference to truth at all. New Hampshire prints both short forms in the same section, RSA 456-B:8, and the acknowledgment version can be made in an individual or a representative capacity. Read the printed block before completing anything, because that block decides the act.
New Hampshire jurat: frequently asked questions
- What is the New Hampshire jurat wording?
- RSA 456-B:8 III gives the short form for a verification upon oath or affirmation, with the state and county venue, the officer's signature, seal if any, and title and rank.
- Does a jurat prove the document is true?
- No. The state manual says a jurat does not prove the contents are true; it establishes only that the signer swore the contents are true.
- What oath does a New Hampshire notary say?
- The manual scripts it: "Do you solemnly swear that the contents of this document signed by you are true and correct, so help you God?" with an affirmation version available.
- Can a justice of the peace sign a New Hampshire jurat?
- Yes. Justices of the peace perform notarial acts in New Hampshire, and the certificate records the justice's name and commission expiration date.
- Who else can administer an oath in New Hampshire?
- Any person admitted to practice law in the state, for taking oral testimony, and licensed court reporters within their court reporting duties.
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: New Hampshire RSA 456-B:3, 456-B:7 and 456-B:8, and RSA 310-A:181 (New Hampshire General Court); the Notary Public and Justice of the Peace Manual, prepared by the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of State. Confirm current requirements before relying on this.