Notary glossary
The words on your form, explained
City permit and license forms borrow a lot of notary vocabulary — jurat, acknowledgment, affiant, venue. Here is what each one means, in plain English, and how it affects your online notarization.
- Acknowledgment
- A notarial act where you declare to the notary that you signed a document willingly. You can sign before the meeting; the notary confirms your identity and your acknowledgment, then completes the certificate. Deeds, powers of attorney and most agreements use an acknowledgment.
- See also: Jurat, Notarial certificate
- Affiant
- The person who signs an affidavit and swears or affirms that its contents are true.
- See also: Affidavit, Jurat
- Affidavit
- A written statement of facts that the signer swears or affirms is true in front of a notary. City permit packets are full of them: owner-builder affidavits, roofing affidavits, survey affidavits. An affidavit needs a jurat, not an acknowledgment.
- See also: Jurat, Affiant, Sworn statement
- Affirmation
- A solemn declaration that a statement is true, made instead of an oath by people who prefer not to swear. It has the same legal effect as an oath.
- See also: Oath, Jurat
- Apostille
- A certificate issued by a state (usually the Secretary of State) that authenticates a notarized or official document for use in another country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention. It confirms the notary's commission; it does not certify the document's contents.
- See also: Authentication
- Authentication
- The equivalent of an apostille for countries that are not part of the Hague Convention. The document is certified by the state and then legalized by the destination country's embassy or consulate.
- See also: Apostille
- Commission
- The authorization a state gives a notary to perform notarial acts, for a fixed term. A notary's commission number and expiration date appear on every certificate they complete.
- Credential analysis
- Automated checking of a government ID (driver's license, passport) during a remote online notarization: security features, barcode data and expiration are verified before the video session.
- See also: Identity proofing, Remote online notarization (RON)
- Credible witness
- A person who knows the signer and vouches for their identity to the notary when the signer has no acceptable ID. Rules on who qualifies vary by state.
- See also: Witness
- Electronic notarization (e-notarization)
- Notarizing an electronic document with an electronic signature and seal. The signer may still appear in person; contrast with remote online notarization, where the signer appears by video.
- See also: Remote online notarization (RON)
- Electronic seal
- The digital equivalent of a notary's rubber stamp: the notary's name, commission number and expiration attached to an electronic document, usually protected by a digital certificate so any later change is detectable.
- Identity proofing
- The identity checks a remote notary performs before a video session: credential analysis of your ID plus knowledge-based questions drawn from public records. Both must pass.
- See also: Credential analysis, Knowledge-based authentication (KBA)
- Jurat
- A notarial act where you sign the document in the notary's presence and swear or affirm that its contents are true. The certificate reads "sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me". Affidavits and sworn applications use a jurat.
- See also: Acknowledgment, Affidavit, Oath
- Knowledge-based authentication (KBA)
- A short quiz of personal-history questions (previous addresses, loans, vehicles) generated from public records, used in remote online notarization to confirm you are who your ID says.
- See also: Identity proofing
- Notarial certificate
- The wording the notary completes and signs on the document: the venue (state and county), the date, the type of act (jurat or acknowledgment), the signer's name, and the notary's signature and seal. If a form has no certificate, the notary attaches a loose one.
- See also: Jurat, Acknowledgment, Venue
- Notarization
- The process by which a commissioned notary verifies a signer's identity and willingness, witnesses or takes an oath on the signature, and completes a certificate. It deters fraud; it does not make a document "legal" or check that its contents are correct.
- Notary public
- A person commissioned by a state to serve as an impartial witness to signatures, administer oaths and certify copies. Rush Notary's notaries perform these acts online by video.
- See also: Commission, Remote online notarization (RON)
- Oath
- A sworn promise that a statement is true, made to the notary before signing an affidavit or sworn application. An affirmation is the non-religious equivalent.
- See also: Affirmation, Jurat
- Owner-builder affidavit
- A sworn statement, required by many cities before a building permit is issued, in which a property owner declares they will do the work themselves (or supervise it) instead of hiring a licensed contractor, and accepts the responsibilities that come with it.
- See also: Affidavit
- Personally known
- One way a notary can identify a signer: the notary already knows the person well enough to be certain of their identity, so no ID is checked. Not available in remote online notarization, which always requires ID.
- Principal (signer)
- The person whose signature is being notarized. Also called the signer.
- Remote online notarization (RON)
- Notarization over a live audio-video call. The signer and notary are in different places; the signer's identity is verified with credential analysis and KBA, the session is recorded, and the document is signed and sealed electronically. This is how Rush Notary works.
- See also: Identity proofing, Electronic seal, Notary public
- Satisfactory evidence of identity
- The legal standard a notary must meet before notarizing: a current government-issued photo ID, a credible witness, or personal knowledge, depending on the state.
- See also: Credible witness, Personally known
- Sworn statement
- Any statement made under oath or affirmation. An affidavit is a sworn statement in writing.
- See also: Affidavit, Oath
- Venue
- The "State of ___, County of ___" line at the top of a notarial certificate. It records where the notarization took place — for an online notarization, where the notary is, not the signer.
- See also: Notarial certificate
- Witness
- A person who watches you sign and signs the document too. Some documents (wills, some deeds) need one or two witnesses in addition to the notary; the notary can sometimes act as one. Requirements are set by state law, so check the requirements page for your document.
- See also: Credible witness
State rules on ID, witnesses and which documents can be notarized online are on the requirements page. Still unsure what your form needs? Read the FAQs or ask us.