AZ Notary Proper Procedures for Jurats and Verifications 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Arizona law, when performing a jurat, at what point must the signer execute their signature?
- Before the notary is contacted
- In the presence of the notary (Correct answer)
- At any time prior to notarization
- After the notary applies their seal
Correct answer: In the presence of the notary
For a jurat, the signer must sign the document in the physical presence of the notary, who then administers the oath or affirmation.
Question 2: A signer presents a document for a jurat but refuses to take an oath, offering instead to simply affirm the statements are true. What should the Arizona notary do?
- Refuse the notarization entirely
- Proceed with the oath only, as affirmations are not valid for jurats
- Accept the affirmation, as it is legally equivalent to an oath (Correct answer)
- Require the signer to return with a witness
Correct answer: Accept the affirmation, as it is legally equivalent to an oath
Arizona law allows an affirmation as a legally equivalent substitute for an oath, so the notary must accept it for a jurat.
Question 3: Which statement best describes the difference between a jurat and a verification on oath or affirmation in Arizona?
- A jurat requires two witnesses; a verification does not
- They are functionally identical notarial acts under Arizona law (Correct answer)
- A verification is performed for electronic documents only
- A jurat is used for sworn statements; a verification on oath confirms the signer's identity only
Correct answer: They are functionally identical notarial acts under Arizona law
In Arizona's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, a jurat and a verification on oath or affirmation are the same notarial act.
Question 4: An Arizona notary completes a jurat but forgets to administer the oath before the signer leaves. What is the proper course of action?
- Call the signer and administer the oath by phone
- Complete the certificate anyway since the signer already signed
- Have the signer return to administer the oath in person before the certificate is finalized (Correct answer)
- Ask a colleague notary to administer the oath on their behalf
Correct answer: Have the signer return to administer the oath in person before the certificate is finalized
The oath must be administered in person before the notarial certificate is completed; the signer must return for the notarization to be valid.
Question 5: On a jurat certificate in Arizona, which of the following information is NOT typically required?
- The notary's commission expiration date
- The county in which the notarization took place
- The signer's home address (Correct answer)
- The notary's signature
Correct answer: The signer's home address
Arizona jurat certificates do not require the signer's home address; they require the notary's signature, seal, commission expiration date, and the venue.
Question 6: A signer wants a document notarized with a jurat, but the document is entirely blank except for the signature line. What must the Arizona notary do?
- Complete the jurat since the signature is what matters
- Refuse to notarize a blank document (Correct answer)
- Administer the oath and notarize, leaving the content for later
- Complete it only if the signer provides a written explanation
Correct answer: Refuse to notarize a blank document
An Arizona notary must refuse to notarize a blank or incomplete document because it could be fraudulently completed after notarization.
Question 7: Which wording correctly reflects the oath or affirmation an Arizona notary administers during a jurat?
- 'I certify that the attached document is authentic and legally binding.'
- 'Do you swear or affirm that the statements in this document are true and correct to the best of your knowledge?' (Correct answer)
- 'I acknowledge that I have signed this document of my own free will.'
- 'Do you confirm that your identity has been verified by this notary?'
Correct answer: 'Do you swear or affirm that the statements in this document are true and correct to the best of your knowledge?'
The notary must ask the signer to swear or affirm that the contents of the document are true, which is the core purpose of a jurat.
AZ Notary Proper Procedures for Jurats and Verifications 4
Under Arizona law, when performing a jurat, at what point must the signer execute their signature?