Virginia Jurat Certificate: Wording and the Registration Number Trap
This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Requirements reflect Title 47.1 of the Code of Virginia, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth before relying on this.
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Fillable Virginia jurat certificate
Enter the details and the certificate rebuilds itself with the subscribed-and-sworn wording, the date line and the registration-number line that Virginia expects. Choose the sworn oath or the affirmation.
What is the Virginia jurat wording?
The Virginia jurat wording is "Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me this (date) by (name of affiant)," shown with the city or county and the Commonwealth. Virginia has not adopted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, so unlike a Vermont or Washington certificate there is no single statutory short form printed in the code. Instead Title 47.1 tells you what the certificate must contain, and practice has settled on the subscribed-and-sworn phrasing for a jurat. The "(or affirmed)" gives a signer who objects to swearing an equal, legally identical option.
Commonwealth of Virginia
City/County of ______
Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me this ____________ (date) by ____________ (name of affiant).
Signature of Notary Public
Registration No. ______
My commission expires: ______
Does a Virginia jurat need the notary's registration number?
Yes, a Virginia jurat needs the notary's registration number, and this is the single most common thing out-of-state forms leave off. Virginia defines the notarial certificate as the part of the document completed by the notary that bears the notary's signature, title, commission expiration date and registration number. A certificate missing the number is incomplete on its face, and a careful recording clerk can reject it on that basis alone. If you download a generic jurat built for another state, add a "Registration No." line before you use it in Virginia. The registration number is the number on your commission from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, not your Social Security or any other identifier.
Where does the Virginia notarial certificate go on the page?
For documents notarized on or after July 1, 2008, Virginia expects the certificate wording to sit on the same page as the signature it relates to. The rule was added to stop loose certificates from drifting onto separate sheets where they could be detached and reattached to a different document. Older paperwork is treated more forgivingly, but for anything current, keep the jurat block on the signature page or securely attach it so the connection is unmistakable. Every notarization must also show the date of the act and the city or county and state where it happened.
Can a Virginia notary give immigration advice or advertise as a "notario"?
No. A Virginia notary who is not a licensed attorney, or otherwise authorized to practice immigration law, may not offer or provide legal advice on immigration or other legal matters, and the law restricts advertising notary services in a language other than English without a required disclaimer. Virginia backs this with civil penalties of up to five hundred dollars for a first violation and up to one thousand for a repeat, recovered by the Attorney General. The rule exists because in much of Latin America a notario público is a trained lawyer, so borrowing the label misleads Spanish-speaking clients into thinking they have hired one. A Virginia notary cannot draft your documents or advise you on immigration status.
| A Virginia notary may | A Virginia notary may not |
|---|---|
| Administer the oath and complete the jurat | Advertise as a "notario" or "notario publico" |
| Hand you blank jurat and acknowledgment forms | Advise you on immigration or other legal matters |
| Certify a true copy of many documents | Tell you which certificate your document needs |
What is the difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment in Virginia?
A jurat has the signer swear the contents are true and sign in front of the notary, while an acknowledgment only confirms the signer admits signing. Affidavits and sworn statements take a jurat; deeds and powers of attorney usually take an acknowledgment. The notary can give you either blank certificate but cannot pick for you, since choosing the correct notarial act for a specific document is treated as legal work. When you are unsure, ask the court, agency or title company that will receive the paper which act it requires, because using the wrong one is a frequent cause of rejection.
Virginia jurat: frequently asked questions
- What is the Virginia jurat wording?
- The accepted form reads "Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me this" date "by" the name of the affiant, with the city or county and state shown.
- Does a Virginia jurat need the notary's registration number?
- Yes. Under Title 47.1 the notarial certificate must bear the notary's signature, title, commission expiration date and registration number.
- Can a Virginia notary call themselves a notario publico?
- No. A notary who is not an authorized attorney may not offer immigration or legal advice, and non-English advertising is restricted, with civil penalties for violations.
- What is the difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment in Virginia?
- A jurat has the signer swear the contents are true and sign before the notary; an acknowledgment only confirms that the signer signed the document.
- Must the Virginia certificate be on the same page as the signature?
- For documents notarized on or after July 1, 2008 the certificate wording is expected on the signature page; older documents are treated more leniently.
Published July 24, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Code of Virginia 47.1-2, 47.1-12, 47.1-15.1 and 47.1-16, and the Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public (Secretary of the Commonwealth). Confirm current requirements before relying on this.