Illinois Jurat Certificate Form: Wording, Journal Rules and Remote Acts
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Requirements reflect 5 ILCS 312, the Illinois Notary Public Act, and Title 14 Part 176 of the Illinois Administrative Code, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the Illinois Secretary of State before relying on this.
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Fillable Illinois jurat certificate
Enter the county, the date, and the signer, choose whether the act was in person, remote, or electronic, and the certificate updates live with the statutory Illinois wording and the required technology statement.
What is the Illinois jurat wording?
The short form in 5 ILCS 312/6-105 keeps it to one sentence, with the venue above it.
State of Illinois
County of ______
Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on ____________ (date) by ____________ (name(s) of individual(s) making statement).
(Signature of notary public)
Notary Public
(Seal)
My commission expires: ______
What can an Illinois notary not write in the journal?
Illinois publishes a list of prohibited entries, which is unusual and worth knowing before you buy a journal template. A notary must not record an identification number assigned by a government agency that appears on the identification card or passport presented, nor any other number that could be used to identify the principal. Biometric identifiers are also out, including a fingerprint, voice print, or retina image. So is a person's first name or initial combined with an unencrypted Social Security number, driver's license or state identification number, or financial account information, along with the electronic signature of the person for whom an electronic act was performed.
| Record in the journal | Never record |
|---|---|
| Name of the principal | Government ID numbers from the credential shown |
| Name of any credible witness | Fingerprints, voice prints or retina images |
| Description of the document and the date | Name linked to an unencrypted Social Security number |
| In person, remote or electronic, and the fee | Driver's license number or financial account details |
| Physical location of notary and principal | The principal's electronic signature |
What must an Illinois journal entry record?
Each entry carries at least eight items: the name of the principal, the name of each credible witness relied on, the name of any other person who signed for the principal, the title or description of the document, the date, whether the act was conducted in person, remotely, or electronically, the fee charged if any, and the physical location of both the notary and the principal. That last item is the one people forget, and it exists because remote acts stretch across distances. A journal may also hold the signer's signature and any note that would help you recall the transaction later.
How does an Illinois remote jurat differ?
The certificate has to say so. A remote notarial certificate complies if it contains a statement substantially reading "This remote notarization involved the use of audio-video technology." For an electronic notarization the equivalent statement names an electronic notarization system provider instead, and the short form itself is written as "Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me using an electronic notarization system provider on (date)." A certificate that looks identical to an in-person one after a remote act is missing a required element.
What oath does an Illinois notary administer?
There is no prescribed wording, so notaries choose their own and should use it consistently. An acceptable oath is "Do you swear (or affirm) that the statements in this document are true?" and the signer answers aloud. The person requesting the act must personally appear before the notary and sign the document in the notary's presence, which is what separates this from an acknowledgment. Skipping the spoken oath leaves a certificate that says something that did not happen.
What bond does an Illinois notary need?
Five thousand dollars for a standard commission, filed with the application. The figure jumps to twenty-five thousand for a notary who holds an electronic notary commission or who wants to perform remote notarial acts on paper, and the Secretary of State provides a separate bond form for that. One practical detail from the state's guidance: notify your bonding company of the effective date of your commission, because the Secretary of State sets that date, not the bonding company. Every applicant also files an oath of office, and the legal name on it must match the driver's license or state identification card exactly.
Illinois jurat: frequently asked questions
- What is the Illinois jurat wording?
- "Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on" the date "by" the individual making the statement, under a State of Illinois and county venue, with the notary's signature and seal.
- What can an Illinois notary not write in the journal?
- Government identification numbers, biometric identifiers such as fingerprints or voice prints, Social Security or driver's license numbers linked to a name, and financial account information.
- What must an Illinois journal entry record?
- The principal's name, any credible witness, the document description, the date, whether the act was in person, remote or electronic, the fee, and the location of both notary and principal.
- How does an Illinois remote jurat differ?
- The certificate must state substantially that this remote notarization involved the use of audio-video technology. Electronic acts name an electronic notarization system provider instead.
- What oath does an Illinois notary administer?
- There is no prescribed wording. An acceptable oath is: "Do you swear (or affirm) that the statements in this document are true?"
Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: 5 ILCS 312, sections 2-105, 3-107, 6-103, 6-105 and 6A-105; Title 14, Part 176 of the Illinois Administrative Code, sections 176.330, 176.730, 176.865 and 176.910. Confirm current requirements before relying on this.