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Certificate - Jurat
The Florida jurat is a notarial certificate completed by a notary public upon the oath or affirmation of an individual confirming the accuracy of an affidavit. The certificate states that the person appeared before the notary public and swore to (or affirmed) the truthfulness of facts stated in the affidavit. Apart from administering the oath or affirmation, the notary’s duties include confirming the identity of the individual and witnessing the signature. With the affidavit signed and sworn to (or affirmed), the notary may execute the jurat to notarize the affidavit.
Laws – § 117.05
Acknowledment - Individual
The Florida notary acknowledgement for an individual is a document which attests that a person confirmed their signature in the presence of a notary public. The notarial process of signature confirmation, or “acknowledgement,” involves the individual presenting the notary with both the acknowledgement certificate and the item needing notarization. The notary will verify the individual’s identity and request that they acknowledge their signature. The notary will then complete the notarization process by executing the acknowledgement form.
Laws – § 117.05 and § 695.25(1)
Acknowledment - Attested Copy
The Florida notarial certificate (attested copy) is a statement by a notary public that a photocopy is an exact reproduction of an original item. The document’s “custodian” (person or institution responsible for maintaining the document) must present the item to the notary for review. While examining the article, the notary must ensure that it is not a vital record nor a public record, documents that are only certifiable by State officials. If the notary believes the original document is neither a vital record nor a public record, they may produce the photocopy and attest to its accuracy through the completion of the notarial certificate.
Laws – § 117.05(12)(b)
Acknowledgement - Partnership
The Florida short form notary acknowledgement for a partnership is used by a notary public to declare that the partner (or agent) of a partnership appeared before the notary public and confirmed the authenticity of their signature. Through the execution of the notarial certificate, the partner or agent acknowledges that the signature is their own and that it was given without coercion or duress. The notary may not notarize the document unless the acknowledging individual is personally known to the notary or presents a satisfactory form of identification (e.g., driver’s license or another identifying document, sworn statement of a credible witness).
Laws – § 695.25(4)
Acknowledgement – Corporation
The Florida short form notary acknowledgement for a corporation is a certificate proving that a corporate official was identified by a notary public and that they acknowledged their signature in the notary’s presence. By “acknowledging” the signature, the official affirms that they signed on behalf of the corporation for the reasons set forth in the document. The notary must specify on the acknowledgement certificate the type of identification used to establish the official’s identity (unless the official is personally known to the notary). Additionally, the notary must determine the authority under which the official has been permitted to conduct corporate transactions.
Laws – § 695.25(2)
Acknowledgment - Representative
The Florida notary acknowledgement for a representative is a legal instrument used to validate the signature of a representative acting on another party’s behalf. The representative must appear before a notarial officer who has been granted the authority to take acknowledgements (in Florida, notarial law enforcement officers are not permitted to execute acknowledgement certificates). It is the duty of the officer to confirm the identity of the representative and ensure that they have the authority to act on behalf of the principal. Once the officer is satisfied with the representative’s credentials, and they are sure the representative understands what has been signed, they will validate the signature by completing the acknowledgement certificate.
Laws – § 117.05(13)
Acknowledment - Attorney in Fact
The Florida short form notary acknowledgement for an attorney in fact is used when an attorney in fact signs a document requiring notarial acknowledgment. Documents of high importance, such as deeds or bills of sale, must be notarized to ensure the authenticity of the individual’s signature. An attorney in fact may acknowledge their signature by appearing before a notary public and confirming that the signature belongs to them. The notary will verify the statement by making sure the identity of the individual matches that of the person mentioned in the document. After the notary performs their duties, they will fill out the acknowledgement certificate to authenticate the signature.
Laws – § 695.25(5)
Acknowledgment - Indiviual with a Disability
The Florida notary acknowledgement for an individual with a disability is used to verify the signature provided by a person who is physically unable to sign. It proves that the individual willfully executed a document with a complete understanding of the consequences of signing. Due to the limitations of the disabled individual, a notary public will act as the designated signer and give their signature on the individual’s behalf. The notary must sign in the presence of both the disabled individual and two (2) disinterested witnesses. Once signed, the notary will complete the acknowledgement certificate to confirm the signature.
Note: If the notary does not know of the individual’s identity from personal knowledge, a satisfactory form of identification must be produced.
Laws – § 117.05(14)
Oath or Affirmation of Individual With Disability
The Florida notarial certificate (oath or affirmation of an individual with a disability) is used by a notary public to notarize an affidavit completed by an individual incapable of signing on their own. By executing this notarial certificate, the notary verifies that the individual personally appeared before them, confirmed their identity, and attested to the accuracy of the statements in the affidavit. Two (2) disinterested witnesses must be present when the disabled party directs the notary to sign on their behalf. Additionally, the two (2) witnesses must inscribe their names, addresses, and signatures on the notarial certificate.
After the affidavit is signed and the two (2) witnesses have provided the requisite information on the notarial certificate, the notary will fill out the remainder of the certificate to officially notarize the affidavit.
Laws – § 117.05(14)
Acknowledgement -Individual signing by mark
The Florida notary acknowledgement for an individual signing by mark is a document proving that a notary public confirmed the signature of a person only capable of signing with a mark. This notarial certificate may be necessary when the person has a physical disability restricting them from signing in the usual manner. The individual will need to visit the notary public and identify him/herself, thus assuring the notary they are the person mentioned in the applicable document. Furthermore, two (2) witnesses unaffected by the transaction must also be present during the notarization.
The notary must write the signer’s first name on the left side of the “His (or Her) Mark” field of the acknowledgement form, followed by the individual’s last name on the right side. The notary may then ask the individual to sign their mark in the space between their first and last name. Once signed, the notary must fill in the remaining information to complete the acknowledgement certificate.
Laws – § 117.05(13)(b)
Acknowledgement – Public Officer, Trustee or Personal Representative
The Florida short form notary acknowledgement for a public officer, trustee or personal representative is a legal instrument showing evidence that the principal signer of a document verified the authenticity of their signature. A public officer, trustee, or personal representative must appear before a notary public and prove their authority to execute the document. The signer will be required to provide identification if they are not already known to the notary public. The notary may then take the “acknowledgement” (a declaration by the individual that the signature is theirs and that it was provided willfully). Lastly, the notary will notarize the signature by completing the acknowledgement certificate.
Laws – § 695.25(6)
