Acknowledgment or Jurat?

Acknowledgment or Jurat? What kind of notarial act do you need for your document.  The receiving agency of your documents should know exactly what they’ll need. Give them a call to confirm. California law does not allow for a notary to make the “acknowledgment or Jurat” decision as we are not qualified to give legal advice. That’s a job for the lawyers.  In the mean time, we can tell you the difference between the two acts.

Acknowledgement

A notary Acknowledgment certificate is typically attached to a document upon request when a person appears before a notary and ‘acknowledges’ they have signed the document presented. The document is often signed in the presence of the notary although a signer is allowed to sign beforehand. This is the most common form of notarization.

Documents typically notarized: Deeds, Power of Attorney (POA), Trust, License, Agreement, Contract, Advance Health Care Directive, HIPAA Waiver, Assignments, Etc.

Jurat

A notary Jurat certificate is typically attached to a document that a signer has sworn or affirmed truthfulness to before the notary. The notary administers an oath before the signer. The jurat certificate reads, “Subscribed and Sworn before [notary]”, the notary signs the certificate and attaches it to the document.

Documents typically notarized: Affidavits, Sworn Statements, Certified Copies, Affirmations, Oaths, etc.

Other Notarial Acts

Other less common notarial acts may include oaths, affirmations, depositions, proofs of execution, certified copies of powers of attorney. These notarial acts are typically reserved for special occasions and are less common requests.