An AKA name affidavit is a sworn, notarized statement in which you declare that two or more versions of your name — the one on your ID, the one on an old deed, the one on your credit report — all belong to you. To fill one out, list every name variation that appears in the records tied to your transaction, include the federal penalty-of-perjury language, and sign the document in front of a notary who completes a jurat. Done correctly, it clears the name mismatch that was holding up your closing, title transfer, or claim.
When You’d Be Asked for One
Real estate closings are the usual trigger. A title search surfaces a deed, lien, or tax record under a slightly different version of your name — a dropped middle initial, a shortened first name, a maiden name on an older mortgage — and the title insurer won’t issue a policy until you confirm in writing that you’re the same person. Mortgage lenders ask for the same thing when your credit report lists accounts under variant spellings or a former married name. You may see the form labeled “Signature/Name Affidavit,” “AKA Statement,” “Affidavit of Common Identity,” or “One and the Same Certification.” The purpose is identical.
Vehicle title transfers are the other common setting. If the name on the title doesn’t match your current driver’s license, state motor vehicle agencies typically require a “One and the Same” affidavit before reissuing the title. Estate proceedings, insurance claims, and bank account closures involving inconsistent spellings on a decedent’s records can also call for one.
What an AKA Affidavit Won’t Do
This document bridges existing variations of your name. It does not change your name. If you want to adopt a new name with no connection to names you’ve already used, you need a court order. The Social Security Administration will not accept a name affidavit as a basis for updating its records; it wants the underlying legal document — a marriage certificate, divorce decree, naturalization certificate, or court-ordered name change.
Some state motor vehicle agencies draw a narrower line. Georgia’s “One and the Same” affidavit, for example, cannot be used to explain a last-name difference — it covers only first names, middle names, initials, and suffixes. If your mismatch is in the surname, expect to produce the marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order itself.
Gather Your Documents First
Pull every record that shows a version of your name connected to the transaction. For a closing, that’s the deed, the title commitment, the mortgage application, and your credit report. For a vehicle title transfer, line up the title against your current license. The goal is to identify every variation — initials in place of a full middle name, hyphenated versus single surnames, common misspellings, suffixes — so you can list them all. An unlisted variation can send you back for a second affidavit.
You’ll also need a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license is standard, and many templates ask for the license number itself. A passport works. Have your residential address ready. If a title company or lender hands you a pre-filled form, read the name list carefully before you sign — a typo there defeats the entire point.
What the Affidavit Must Contain
Formats vary, but every workable AKA affidavit includes the same elements:
- A heading identifying the document as an affidavit, with the property address or file number when it’s tied to a real estate matter.
- Your full legal name as it appears on your primary ID, your address, and your ID number.
- A complete list of name variations — every alternative spelling, maiden name, married name, nickname, suffix, or initial version that appears in the records at issue.
- A statement that all listed names refer to one and the same person, you.
- The penalty-of-perjury declaration, the date, and your signature.
- A jurat block for the notary.
The Penalty-of-Perjury Wording
The penalty clause is what gives the document legal weight. Federal law provides specific language for declarations executed inside the United States: “I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on (date).”1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury If you’re signing outside the country, add “under the laws of the United States of America.” Most pre-printed templates carry the correct wording already. If you’re drafting your own, use this formula or risk rejection.
A false statement in a sworn affidavit is perjury. Under federal law, it carries a fine and up to five years in prison.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1621 – Perjury Generally State penalties fall in a similar range. Title companies and lenders rely on these affidavits to insure substantial transactions, and prosecutors do pursue false statements when fraud comes to light.
Jurat, Not Acknowledgment
This is where even some notaries slip. An affidavit requires a jurat. A jurat means the notary administered an oath or affirmation and you swore the contents were true. An acknowledgment, by contrast, only confirms that you are who you say you are and signed voluntarily; it makes no certification about the truth of what’s in the document. If your AKA affidavit carries an acknowledgment block, a title company or court can refuse it. Before you sign, look at the notary section at the bottom of the page and confirm it reads as a jurat (“subscribed and sworn to before me” or similar), not an acknowledgment (“acknowledged before me”).
Getting It Notarized
Do not sign the affidavit until you’re in front of the notary. The notary has to witness your signature, verify your identity from your photo ID, and administer the oath. Pre-signing invalidates the jurat because the notary cannot certify a signing they didn’t see.
The appointment itself takes a few minutes. Bring the unsigned affidavit and your government-issued photo ID. The notary will ask you to raise your right hand or affirm that the statements are true, watch you sign, then complete the jurat block with their own signature, commission details, and official seal.
Fees are modest. Most states cap in-person jurat fees somewhere between $5 and $15 per signature. Remote online notarization, where you appear by video and sign electronically, is authorized in most states and typically runs around $25 per signature. Banks, UPS stores, shipping centers, and law offices commonly provide notary services. At a mortgage closing, a notary signing agent usually handles the notarization as part of the appointment at no separate charge.
Where It Goes Afterward
What you do with the signed affidavit depends on why you needed it:
- At a mortgage closing, the affidavit becomes part of the loan file. The title company or closing agent collects it with the rest of your documents; you don’t deliver it separately.
- For a real estate title correction, the affidavit often needs to be recorded with the county recorder or clerk so it enters the permanent public land records. Recording links your name variations in the property index and prevents the same discrepancy from resurfacing in a future title search.
- For a vehicle title transfer, submit the original notarized affidavit to your state motor vehicle agency along with the title application.
- For estate or probate matters, file with the probate court or deliver to the bank, brokerage, or insurer that asked for it.
If recording is required, county recorder offices generally accept documents in person, by mail, or through e-recording where available. Recording offices enforce formatting requirements that vary by county but commonly include minimum margins (often half an inch on the sides and two and a half inches at the top of the first page for the recorder’s stamp) and a “return to” mailing address. Fees for a single-page document range roughly from $10 to over $50 depending on the jurisdiction.
Why AKA Affidavits Get Rejected
Rejections cluster around a few predictable mistakes. Catching them before you sign saves a second notary fee and a repeat trip.
- A name variation is missing. You listed three of the four names in the records and overlooked one. The affidavit has to cover every discrepancy.
- The notarial certificate is an acknowledgment instead of a jurat.
- You signed before appearing. If the jurat says you “subscribed and swore before me” but the ink or date tells a different story, the document can be challenged or refused.
- The ID is expired, or the name on the ID doesn’t match the primary legal name on the affidavit.
- Formatting defects for recording — margins too small, no return address, illegible signatures, missing page numbers — cause county recorders to bounce documents back unrecorded.
- Entity signing errors. If the property is held by an LLC or corporation, the affidavit must be signed in an official capacity (manager, officer, or authorized agent), not personally. Signing in a personal capacity can create unintended personal liability and will usually be rejected by the title company.
Reviewing the name list, the penalty clause, and the notary block before your appointment is the single best use of five minutes you can make with this document.