Iowa Jurat Certificate: Verification on Oath or Affirmation Wording

This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Requirements reflect Iowa Code chapter 9B, the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the Iowa Secretary of State before relying on this.

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Fillable Iowa jurat certificate

Enter the county, the date, and the signer, and the certificate updates live with the Iowa short form. Copy or print it and attach it to the affidavit; bring the document unsigned.

What is the Iowa jurat wording?

Iowa follows the uniform short form, with the notarial officer's stamp and title of office below the sentence.

What does Iowa call a jurat?

A verification on oath or affirmation, the name chapter 9B uses since Iowa adopted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. The Secretary of State softens the change by labelling its downloadable form "Jurat (Verification)," so both names appear in Iowa practice. The act requires the signer to appear personally, be identified, sign the document in the notary's presence, and swear or affirm that its contents are true. That last pair is what separates it from an acknowledgment, where a pre-signed document is acceptable.

Can an Iowa notary refuse to notarize?

Yes, and Iowa gives it a section of its own: chapter 9B contains a titled provision on the authority to refuse to perform a notarial act. Putting the power in the code rather than in a handbook matters, because a notary asked to proceed on a document that looks wrong is not relying on discretion but on statute. Common grounds are doubts about identity, a signer who does not appear to understand what they are signing, or a document with blanks. Refusing early is easier than correcting a certificate later.

Are tribal notarial acts valid in Iowa?

Yes. A notarial act performed under the authority and in the jurisdiction of a federally recognized Indian tribe has the same effect under Iowa law as an act performed in the state, and chapter 9B says the same for acts performed under federal authority. Iowa also recognizes acts performed in another state, and foreign notarial acts, each under its own section. The practical result is that a properly executed certificate from one of those jurisdictions does not have to be redone by an Iowa notary.

What happens if an Iowa signer cannot sign?

Chapter 9B has a dedicated section for a signature where the individual is unable to sign, so the situation is handled by statute rather than improvisation. That matters most in care settings and hospitals, where a signer may be alert and able to communicate but unable to hold a pen. The section sets out how another person may sign at the individual's direction and what the certificate must reflect. Read it before the appointment rather than at the bedside.

Can a non-resident be an Iowa notary?

Yes, if that person's place of work or business is within the state of Iowa, which opens the commission to people living just over a state line but working in Iowa. Commissions come from the Secretary of State, who may also impose sanctions on a notary under chapter 9B. Those sanctions are graduated: the office may issue a letter of reprimand rather than moving straight to suspension or revocation, so a first, minor lapse does not necessarily cost the commission.

Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Iowa Code chapter 9B, sections 9B.6, 9B.7, 9B.8, 9B.9, 9B.12, 9B.13, 9B.16 and 9B.23; Iowa Administrative Code rule 721-43.8; Iowa Secretary of State notary forms. Confirm current requirements before relying on this.