To write and notarize a statement, you draft a titled document that lays out the facts in numbered paragraphs, close it with a sworn declaration under penalty of perjury, and then sign it in front of a notary public who verifies your identity and applies an official seal. The notary’s role is narrow but important: they confirm you are who you say you are, witness your signature, and administer the oath. The substance of the statement is entirely your work.
When a Notarized Statement Is the Right Document
A notarized sworn statement is usually called an affidavit. People use them to prove residency for school enrollment or benefits, to submit witness facts to a court without appearing in person, to establish heirship in estate matters, to support immigration filings, to document identity theft, and to confirm facts in financial transactions. If the recipient has specifically asked for a notarized statement, don’t substitute an unnotarized letter. Courts, agencies, and financial institutions routinely reject documents that lack notarization when their rules require it.
One technical point worth knowing before you draft. The notarial act you need for a sworn statement is a jurat, where the notary administers an oath and watches you sign.1eCFR. 22 CFR 92.21 – Notarial Certificate to Oath or Affirmation An acknowledgment is a different act used for things like deeds and powers of attorney; it confirms you signed voluntarily but involves no oath about truth.2U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 7 FAM 850 Taking an Affidavit For a statement of facts, ask for a jurat.
Writing the Statement
Before you write a word, gather what you’ll need: full legal names, exact dates, addresses, and dollar amounts. Pull up supporting records so you aren’t working from memory. A notarized statement is not the place for approximations.
Start the document with a descriptive title. “Affidavit of Residency” or “Sworn Statement of Facts” tells the reader what they’re holding. Skip vague labels like “My Statement.”
Open with a line identifying yourself and declaring that you’re acting voluntarily and under oath. A workable template:
“I, [Full Legal Name], residing at [Address], being duly sworn, state the following:”
Then set out the facts, one per numbered paragraph. Stick to things you personally witnessed or know firsthand. Leave out opinions, speculation, and anything someone else told you. Secondhand information is hearsay, and including it weakens an otherwise solid statement.
The Closing Declaration
Federal law gives you the exact language for the sworn closing. If you’re signing inside the United States, use:
“I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on [date].”3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury
If you’re signing outside the United States, use:
“I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.”3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury
Signature and Notary Blocks
Leave a blank signature line for yourself with your printed name typed underneath. Below that, set aside a separate block for the notary with space for their signature, printed name, commission expiration date, and seal. Do not sign the document at this stage. The notary has to watch you sign.
What to Bring to the Appointment
Bring the finished but unsigned statement, plus unexpired government-issued photo identification. A driver’s license, state ID card, or U.S. passport works. Military IDs and permanent resident cards are also widely accepted. Student IDs and birth certificates do not qualify. If your document runs multiple pages, bring every page; notaries sometimes initial or stamp each one.
What Happens at the Notary
The appointment is short, usually five to ten minutes. The notary examines your ID, comparing the photo and signature to the person in front of them. If it matches, they administer an oath or affirmation. You can choose: an oath invokes a higher power, an affirmation is a pledge on your personal honor with no religious reference. Both carry equal legal weight.
You verbally confirm, then sign the document while the notary watches.2U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 7 FAM 850 Taking an Affidavit The notary completes the notarial certificate, applies their seal, and signs. Many states also require them to log the transaction in an official journal.
If the notary spots an error in your document, they cannot fix it. Doing so would be practicing law. You’ll either need to correct the document yourself and come back, or make the fix on the spot with both parties initialing, depending on what the error is.
If You Don’t Have a Photo ID
Many states allow a “credible witness” to vouch for your identity when you lack qualifying ID. The witness takes an oath confirming they know you, which creates a chain of personal knowledge the notary can rely on. Rules vary. Some states require one witness who personally knows both you and the notary. Others accept two witnesses who know you but don’t need to know the notary. Call ahead and ask what your state permits and who to bring.
Doing It Remotely
Remote online notarization lets you complete the whole process over a live video call. More than 40 states and the District of Columbia authorize some form of remote notarization. A federal bill, the SECURE Notarization Act, has been introduced to set a national standard, but as of early 2025 it has not been enacted.4congress.gov. H.R.1777 – 119th Congress (2025-2026) SECURE Notarization Act
You’ll need a computer or tablet with a working webcam and a stable connection. The platform asks you to show your government-issued photo ID on camera, and most services add identity verification through knowledge-based questions pulled from credit history or public records. You sign electronically while the notary watches, and the notary applies a digital seal.
Before you book, confirm two things: your state authorizes remote notarization, and the recipient of your document will accept a remotely notarized version. Some courts and agencies still require traditional ink-and-stamp notarization.
What It Costs
Each state caps what a notary can charge per act. For an in-person jurat, statutory maximums generally run $2 to $25 per signature, with most states between $5 and $15. Remote online notarization costs more because of the technology; state caps typically run $5 to $30 per act, and the platform may add its own service fee. A remote session usually lands at $25 to $50 all-in.
Mobile notaries who travel to you add a travel fee on top of the per-signature charge. Travel fees aren’t always regulated and can run $25 to $100 or more depending on distance. Many banks and credit unions notarize for account holders at no charge, which is worth checking before you pay anyone.
When You Might Not Need a Notary at All
Federal law lets you substitute an unsworn declaration for most sworn statements. Wherever a matter can be supported by a sworn statement, you may instead submit a document signed “under penalty of perjury” with no notary involved, and it carries the same legal weight.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury This covers federal proceedings and most federal rules, with a few exceptions like depositions and oaths of office. Many state courts have parallel provisions.
If the entity asking for your statement hasn’t specifically required notarization, ask whether an unsworn declaration under penalty of perjury would be accepted. You face the same perjury consequences either way, but you skip the notary visit. If a court order, regulation, or institutional policy does require notarization, an unsworn declaration won’t substitute. Follow the instructions you were given.
The Cost of Lying
The perjury language is not decoration. Under federal law, anyone who knowingly makes a false statement under oath or in a document signed under penalty of perjury faces up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1621 Perjury Generally State perjury laws add their own penalties, and most treat it as a felony. Prosecutions turn on willful falsity about something material, not honest mistakes over minor details. Still, if you’re not sure a fact is right, qualify it (“to the best of my recollection”) or leave it out.
After the Notary Signs
Make at least one copy of the completed document for your records before the original leaves your hands. If the recipient specified a delivery method, whether certified mail, electronic filing, or hand delivery to a clerk’s office, follow it exactly. A correctly drafted and notarized statement that arrives at the wrong office or after a deadline is no better than one that was never signed.