Notarial Certificates and Certificate Wording
What the domain covers
A notarial certificate is the notary's written statement of what was done. Iowa does not require one universal sentence, but the certificate must identify the act, the signer, the date, the venue, and the notary, and it must carry the official stamp. The exam tests whether you can choose and complete an acknowledgment, jurat, oath, or affirmation correctly.
Core rules
- An acknowledgment says the signer appeared, was identified, and acknowledged signing the record. It does not say the signer swore to the contents.
- A jurat says the signer signed and swore or affirmed before the notary. The signer must appear, sign in the notary's presence, and take the oath or affirmation.
- The venue should name the state and county where the notarial act occurs, not the signer's home county.
- The certificate date is the date of the act. The notary signs the name exactly as commissioned and applies the stamp.
- If a document lacks a certificate, the notary may attach a loose certificate that matches the act requested.
Worked example
A signer brings a document with a jurat reading “Sworn to before me.” The signer signed at home and wants the notary to stamp it. The notary should not simply stamp: for a jurat, the signer must appear, sign in the notary's presence or re-sign, and swear or affirm. The notary then completes the date, venue, signature, and stamp. If the signer only acknowledges a signature already made, the correct act is an acknowledgment, and the certificate wording must change.
Traps
Using “acknowledged” for a jurat or “sworn” for an acknowledgment is a common mark-loser. Leaving the county blank, dating the certificate on a different day, or omitting the commission expiration from the stamp also invalidates the certificate. Never write a certificate for an act you did not perform.