To notarize an affidavit, bring the unsigned document and a valid government-issued photo ID to a notary public, let the notary verify your identity, take an oath or affirmation that the statement is true, and sign the affidavit in the notary’s presence so they can complete and seal the jurat. Skip any of those steps and the court or agency receiving the document can reject it.
What to Bring to the Appointment
Prepare the affidavit in full, but do not sign it. The notary has to watch you sign. If you arrive with a document you already signed, the notary will refuse to notarize it and you will need to print a clean copy.
Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID: a current driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID works in almost every situation. The name on the ID must match the name on the affidavit, and the ID cannot be expired. Some states let a notary accept credible identifying witnesses when a signer has no acceptable ID, but that option varies by jurisdiction and is not available everywhere.
If more than one person is swearing to the affidavit, everyone signs together in front of the same notary at the same appointment, each with their own ID. You cannot split the signatures across days.
Expect to pay a per-signature fee. State caps range from as low as $2 to $25. Many banks and credit unions notarize documents for account holders at no charge, so start there.
Where to Find a Notary
Banks and credit unions are usually the cheapest option, often free for customers. Call the branch first, because not every staffer holds a commission. Shipping and business service centers such as UPS Store locations typically staff a notary and charge a fee. Law firms and accounting offices frequently employ notaries and may take walk-ins. The National Notary Association and the American Society of Notaries both publish online directories searchable by zip code.
If travel is difficult, a mobile notary will come to your home, office, or hospital. Mobile notaries charge the state per-signature fee plus a travel fee, and total costs commonly run between $75 and $200 depending on distance and timing.
What Happens at the Appointment
The in-person process takes only a few minutes once you are prepared.
Identity Check
Hand the notary the unsigned affidavit and your photo ID. The notary compares the photo to your face, checks that the name matches the document, and confirms the ID is current. In states that require a notary journal, the notary will log your name, ID details, the type of notarization, and the date.
The Oath or Affirmation
This is what makes the document an affidavit rather than an ordinary signed statement. The notary administers a verbal oath or affirmation asking you to swear or affirm that the contents are true. A typical wording is: “Do you swear under the penalties of perjury that the information in this document is the truth, so help you God?” You can request a secular affirmation instead, which carries the same legal weight and omits religious references. Answer “yes” out loud. Raising your right hand is traditional but not legally required in any state.
Signing and the Jurat
Sign the affidavit immediately after taking the oath while the notary watches. The notary then completes the notarial certificate at the bottom of the affidavit, or on an attached page. When the certificate accompanies a sworn statement it is called a jurat, and it differs from an acknowledgment, which is used for documents like deeds where no oath is involved. Getting the wrong certificate type is one of the more common reasons an affidavit is later rejected.
A jurat typically shows the venue (state and county where the notarization happened), the date, a statement that the oath was administered and the document signed in the notary’s presence, the notary’s signature, and the notary’s stamp or seal. Some states also require the notary’s commission expiration date. Missing any required element can void the notarization.
Notarizing an Affidavit Online
Remote online notarization, known as RON, lets you complete the process by live video instead of meeting the notary in person. You log into an approved platform, verify your identity through knowledge-based authentication questions and by showing your photo ID on camera, take the oath verbally, and sign electronically while the notary watches.
RON is authorized in 44 states and the District of Columbia, though the approved platforms, identity-verification standards, and recording rules vary by state. Not every document type qualifies for RON in every state, so confirm before you book that your affidavit is eligible. Sessions are typically recorded and stored.
Mistakes That Get an Affidavit Rejected
Improperly notarized affidavits are rejected more often than most people expect. The recurring problems are all preventable.
- Signing before you meet the notary. A pre-signed affidavit cannot be notarized; prepare a fresh copy.
- No oath administered. Without a jurat and a spoken oath or affirmation, the statement is not sworn, and a court can reject it.
- An incomplete certificate. A jurat missing the venue, date, notary signature, or seal is defective. Some receiving parties send it back for correction; others require a full re-notarization.
- Expired ID or a name mismatch. Either can be used to challenge the notarization later.
- A signer who wasn’t there. Every person whose signature appears on the affidavit must have personally appeared before the notary. A notarization performed without personal appearance is not just defective but illegal.
If you find a defect after the fact, the fix is usually to prepare a new affidavit, take it to a notary, and go through the process again. Destroy the old copy or mark it void so it cannot be mistaken for a valid document.
What You Are Swearing To
Taking the oath exposes you to perjury charges if any material statement in the affidavit is knowingly false. Federal perjury carries a fine and up to five years in prison.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1621 – Perjury Generally State perjury laws generally classify the offense as a felony as well, with penalties that vary but can be equally severe.
“Material” is the key word. Perjury requires that the false statement mattered to the proceeding or purpose the affidavit was prepared for. An honest mistake or trivial slip will not send you to prison, but knowingly lying about a fact that affects the outcome of a legal matter can. If you are unsure whether a sentence in the affidavit is accurate, fix it before you take the oath. Once you swear to it, you own every word.