Notary Block Template
How it works
A notary block (notary acknowledgment or jurat) is the clause added to a legal document by a notary public attesting to the identity of the signer and the circumstances of signing. The Notary Block Template generates standard acknowledgment and jurat language for documents requiring notarization in different US states.
**Acknowledgment vs. jurat** Acknowledgment: the notary certifies that the signer appeared before the notary and acknowledged that they signed the document voluntarily. The signer does not need to sign in the notary's presence — just acknowledge having signed. Used for: deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney. Jurat (sworn statement): the signer signs in the notary's presence and swears or affirms the contents are true. Used for: affidavits, sworn statements, depositions.
**Standard acknowledgment language** "State of [State], County of [County]. On this __ day of [Month], [Year], before me personally appeared [Name], known to me (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence) to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument, and acknowledged to me that they executed the same in their authorized capacity, and that by their signature on the instrument the person executed the instrument. Witness my hand and official seal. [Notary signature, seal, and commission expiration date]."
**State-specific requirements** Most states have adopted the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts — acknowledgment and jurat language is largely standardized. However, California, Texas, Florida, and New York have specific required language — use your state's form when documents will be recorded or used in that state.
**Remote online notarization (RON)** Most states now permit remote online notarization via video conference for most document types. RON requires identity verification (knowledge-based authentication or credential analysis), a secure audio-video connection, and electronic notarial seal.
This tool generates standard notary block language. Verify your state's current required form for recorded documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
- A notary block (notary acknowledgment or jurat) is the section at the end of a legal document where a notary public certifies that: (for acknowledgments) the signer appeared before the notary, was identified, and acknowledged signing the document voluntarily; or (for jurats) the signer appeared before the notary and swore or affirmed the document's contents are true. The notary's signature, seal, and commission expiration date are included. Notarization prevents fraud by verifying identity and voluntary signing.
- Acknowledgment: the signer appears before the notary and acknowledges ('I signed this document') — used for deeds, powers of attorney, contracts. The notary verifies identity and that the person signed voluntarily; the notary is NOT certifying the contents are true. Jurat: the signer swears or affirms before the notary that the document's contents are true and accurate — used for affidavits, sworn statements. 'Subscribed and sworn before me' is jurat language; 'acknowledged before me' is acknowledgment language. Using the wrong type can invalidate the document.
- Acceptable ID typically includes: current government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, military ID, state ID card). The ID must be current (not expired, though most states allow recently expired IDs within a short window). Some states allow credible witnesses (people the notary knows who vouch for the signer's identity) or personal knowledge (notary knows the signer). For remote online notarization (RON): identity proofing technology (knowledge-based authentication + credential analysis) is used instead of physical ID.
- RON allows notarization via live video call — the notary and signer appear on screen, identity is verified through multi-factor technology, and the notary's seal and signature are applied electronically. Authorized in 40+ US states. Benefits: convenience, no need to travel, available 24/7 through services like Notarize.com, DocuSign Notary, and Notarize. RON documents are accepted for most real estate transactions, estate documents, and legal documents in states that authorize it. Some states still require in-person notarization for specific documents like wills.