West Virginia Jurat Certificate: Wording and the Address in the Stamp

This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Requirements reflect chapter 39, article 4 of the West Virginia Code, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the West Virginia Secretary of State before relying on this.

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Fillable West Virginia jurat certificate

Choose the sworn verification or the plain attestation, fill in the details, and the certificate updates live with the statutory wording. The signature block reflects the address the West Virginia stamp is expected to show.

What is the West Virginia jurat wording?

The West Virginia jurat wording, given as a short form in 39-4-16, is "Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on (date) by (name(s) of individual(s) making statement)," followed by the notary's signature, title and stamp. The "(or affirmed)" lets a signer who objects to an oath affirm instead, with the same legal force. Because West Virginia adopted the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, this wording matches what you see in states like Vermont or Washington, so the words are the easy part. What trips people up is the stamp block.

Does a West Virginia notary stamp need an address?

Yes, a West Virginia notary's official stamp must include an address, which sets the state apart from most of the country. The stamp is required to show the notary's name, address, jurisdiction and commission expiration date, and to be reproducible when the document is copied. Plenty of notaries commissioned elsewhere carry a stamp with just a name and commission number, and a West Virginia clerk can treat that as deficient. If you are ordering a stamp to notarize in West Virginia, confirm the address appears on it, and if you are the signer, do not be surprised to see a street or mailing address inside the seal that other states leave out.

When can a written declaration replace a West Virginia jurat?

For a document that does not require an acknowledgment, West Virginia allows a written declaration made under the penalties of perjury to stand in lieu of any oath otherwise required. In practice that means certain certificates, returns and statements filed with the State or its agencies can be self-verified by the signer's own perjury declaration, without a notary administering an oath at all. Anyone who makes a false statement in such a declaration faces the same penalties as if they had sworn falsely under oath. This does not apply to instruments that need an acknowledgment, such as deeds, so it narrows rather than replaces the jurat, but it is a genuine shortcut for the paperwork it covers.

Can a West Virginia notary be called a "notario publico"?

No. A West Virginia notary who is not an attorney licensed to practice law in the state may not use the term "notario" or "notario publico." The prohibition protects Spanish-speaking clients, because across much of Latin America a notario público is a highly trained lawyer with authority to draft instruments and advise on the law, none of which a United States notary can do. Presenting the title implies legal qualifications the notary does not hold, and the Attorney General can seek an injunction against a notary who crosses into the unauthorized practice of law.

What is the difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment in West Virginia?

A jurat has the signer swear the contents are true and sign in the notary's presence, 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 West Virginia notary can give you either blank form but cannot decide which your document needs, since selecting the notarial act would be legal work reserved to attorneys. When in doubt, ask the office that will receive the document, because a jurat used where an acknowledgment was required is a routine reason paperwork comes back.

Published July 24, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: W. Va. Code 39-4-2, 39-4-5, 39-4-16, 39-4-17 and 39-4-20, and 39-1B (West Virginia Legislature). Confirm current requirements before relying on this.