Notary Terms and Definitions

Affidavit

is a written statement sworn to before an officer authorized to administer an oath. A person "makes" an affidavit by going before a notary or other officer and swearing to the contents of a written document. A notary "takes" an affidavit by administering an oath and completing the certificate.

Affiant

is the person making a statement under oath.

Acknowledged

means the signer confirmed or admitted to the notary to having signed a document.

Before me

means that the act was conducted in the presence of the notary.

Credible witness

is a third person who personally knows the document signer and verifies the signer’s identity.

Execute

means making or completing a signature.

Instrument

means "document."

Jurat

is the notary’s certificate on an affidavit.

Personal knowledge

means having an acquaintance, derived from association with the individual, which establishes the individual’s identity with at least a reasonable certainty.

Satisfactory evidence

is valid ID card or papers, or use of a credible witness.

Subscribed

means "signature" or "signed."