Wisconsin Jurat Certificate: Wording and the Notario Advertising Rule

This content is educational and informational, not legal advice. Requirements reflect chapter 140 of the Wisconsin Statutes, but the law can change. Confirm current requirements with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions before relying on this.

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Fillable Wisconsin jurat certificate

Choose the sworn verification or the plain attestation, enter the details, and the certificate rebuilds with the statutory wording under the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.

What is the Wisconsin jurat wording?

The Wisconsin jurat wording, set out as a short form in s. 140.16, 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)" alternative lets a signer who will not swear an oath affirm instead, and the two are legally identical. Because Wisconsin adopted the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, this is the same wording used in neighboring uniform-law states, so a certificate that looks right elsewhere reads correctly here.

What are the rules on advertising as a "notario" in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin bars a notary from using the phrases "notario," "notarizaciones," "notarizamos" or "notario publico," and it goes further than most states by regulating any advertising in a language other than English. A notary who advertises services in another language must include, in English and in that language, a disclaimer that they are not an attorney and may not give legal advice. The reach is what makes this rule notable: it does not stop at the single word "notario" but sweeps in the everyday Spanish verbs for notarizing, closing a loophole that lets a business imply legal authority without saying the exact banned phrase. The point is the same one that runs through notary law nationwide, that a United States notary is not the lawyer-notary a Spanish speaker may expect.

Does a Wisconsin notary need a bond?

Yes, a non-attorney applicant for a Wisconsin notary commission must file an official bond of five hundred dollars, executed by a surety company, before the commission issues. Attorneys licensed in Wisconsin follow a separate track and are not held to the same bond and examination path. The bond is not insurance for the notary; it is a small pool that a wronged member of the public can claim against if the notary's misconduct causes a loss. For a signer this is quiet background, but it explains why a Wisconsin notary's commission is treated as a bonded office rather than a casual add-on, and why the state keeps its own record of who is authorized to act.

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

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, and for real estate the recording rules add their own wording. The Wisconsin notary can give you either blank form but cannot select the act for you, since choosing the certificate for a specific document is legal work. Ask the office that will receive the paper which act it needs, because using a jurat where an acknowledgment belonged is a common reason a document is refused.

Published July 24, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Wis. Stat. 140.01, 140.02, 140.15 and 140.16 (Wisconsin Legislature). Confirm current requirements before relying on this.