The notary then adds the notary's '________' which states that the person appeared before the notary and signed the affidavit.

• A. Jurat
• B. Acknowledgment
• C. Certificate
• D. Endorsement

Answer: (A)

A jurat is the notarial certificate used when the signer personally appears before the notary, takes an oath or affirmation, and signs the document in the notary’s presence. That statement—that the person appeared and signed the affidavit before the notary—is precisely what the jurat records. It confirms both presence and sworn truthfulness of the contents.

This differs from an acknowledgment, which simply verifies that the signer appeared and acknowledged signing the document, typically without oath. A certificate is the general label for the notarial certificate itself and could accompany either a jurat or an acknowledgment. An endorsement is a separate note added for other purposes and isn’t used to certify that an affidavit was sworn before the notary.