A jurat (Pronounced: [ˈjo͝orat]) is a type of judicial notarization which is signed under oath in front of a notary public. The National Notary Association says, “The purpose of a jurat — also known in some states as a “verification upon oath or affirmation” — is for a signer to swear to or affirm the truthfulness of the contents of a document to a Notary or notarial officer.”
Is a Jurat the same as an Acknowledgment?
No.
While both are notarized they are not executed in the same way. A Jurat’s certificate will have specific wording relative to Jurats
Notarizing a Texas Jurat requires these steps:
1. The signer must appear in person before Houston Notary Solutions and sign the document in the presence of our mobile notary.
2. In Texas, our mobile notary is required to positively identify the signer, with valid photo ID that is government issued.
3. Our traveling notary must administer a spoken oath or affirmation and the signer must respond aloud. Silent answers such as a nod of the head are not acceptable, and signers must articulate a verbal response.
Note that a jurat cannot be executed by someone offering to take the oath in someone else’s name — the original signer must swear or affirm the oath in person before the Notary.
Below, see a typical example of a Texas Jurat Statement for common documents:
