WY Notary Notarial Acknowledgments and Jurats 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a notarial acknowledgment?
- A formal declaration by a signer that they willingly signed a document (Correct answer)
- A sworn oath that the document content is true
- A certified copy of an original document
- A notary's verification of a signer's identity only
Correct answer: A formal declaration by a signer that they willingly signed a document
An acknowledgment is a formal declaration by the document signer that they voluntarily executed the document.
Question 2: What must a signer physically do during an acknowledgment in Wyoming?
- Appear personally before the notary (Correct answer)
- Sign the document in the notary's presence
- Swear an oath that the document is true
- Provide two forms of identification
Correct answer: Appear personally before the notary
Wyoming law requires the signer to personally appear before the notary for an acknowledgment, though the document may have been signed previously.
Question 3: What is the primary difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat?
- In a jurat, the signer must sign in the notary's presence and swear to the content's truth (Correct answer)
- In an acknowledgment, the signer swears the document content is true
- Jurats are only used for real estate documents
- Acknowledgments require two witnesses while jurats require none
Correct answer: In a jurat, the signer must sign in the notary's presence and swear to the content's truth
A jurat requires the signer to sign before the notary and take an oath or affirmation that the document's contents are true, unlike an acknowledgment.
Question 4: What wording typically signals that a jurat is required on a document?
- 'Subscribed and sworn to before me' (Correct answer)
- 'Acknowledged before me'
- 'Certified true copy'
- 'Witnessed by'
Correct answer: 'Subscribed and sworn to before me'
The phrase 'subscribed and sworn to before me' is the classic indicator that a jurat is required.
Question 5: Can a Wyoming notary perform an acknowledgment via telephone without the signer present?
- No, personal appearance is required for a standard acknowledgment (Correct answer)
- Yes, if the notary knows the signer well
- Yes, with two witnesses on the call
- No, but email consent is acceptable
Correct answer: No, personal appearance is required for a standard acknowledgment
Wyoming requires in-person presence for standard acknowledgments; telephone acknowledgments are not valid outside of authorized remote online notarization.
Question 6: What information must appear in a Wyoming acknowledgment certificate?
- Venue, notary signature, printed name, commission expiration, and notary seal (Correct answer)
- Only the notary's signature and date
- The signer's date of birth and address
- The document title and number of pages
Correct answer: Venue, notary signature, printed name, commission expiration, and notary seal
A complete acknowledgment certificate must include the venue (state/county), notary's signature, printed name, commission expiration date, and official seal.
WY Notary Notarial Acknowledgments and Jurats 1
What is a notarial acknowledgment?