Notarized, Certified, Sworn or Witnessed: What Each Means

Notarized: a notary completed a notarial act

A notarized document carries a notarial certificate, usually with a signature, a stamp or seal, and a date. The notary has done a specific act, most often confirming who the signer is and either taking the signer's acknowledgment of a signature or administering an oath. The certificate says which act took place.

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What it shows is narrow. It shows that a commissioned notary identified the person and that the act happened on that date. It does not show that the contents are true, that the document is correct, or what the document does legally. The notary does not read it for accuracy and cannot advise on it.

Certified: three very different meanings

The word certified is the most confusing because it covers unrelated things. A certified copy of a record, such as a birth record or a court order, is issued by the agency or office that holds the original. That office confirms the copy matches its file. Whether a notary may certify a copy at all depends on state rules, and many records must come from the issuing office in any case. See our guide on Notarizing Copies of Documents: What Is Allowed.

A certified translation comes with a signed statement from the translator about the translation. Sometimes that statement is then notarized, which is a separate step. And certified mail is a postal service that has nothing to do with the contents of a document. When a form says certified, find out which of these it means before you go anywhere.

Sworn: a statement made under oath

A sworn statement is one the signer has promised is true, under an oath or affirmation given to an authorized official. A notary can do this. The signer signs in front of the notary, and the notary administers the oath and completes a certificate often called a jurat. Many affidavits are sworn statements. The notary is not checking that the facts are true. The oath is the signer's promise, and a false statement can carry consequences for the signer.

Some forms accept a signed statement under penalty of perjury instead of a notarized oath. Whether that is allowed depends on the form and the office. Our guide Affidavit vs Sworn Statement vs Declaration: Differences compares these in more detail.

Witnessed: another person watched you sign

A witnessed document has a signature from someone who saw the signer sign or heard the signer confirm the signature. The witness does not have to be a notary. Forms that ask for witnesses often say how many are needed and may rule out certain people, such as someone named in the document. Check the form or ask the office that issued it.

A witness is not a notary and does not do what a notary does. A witness usually does not check ID in any formal way and does not give an oath. Some documents need both: witnesses to the signing and a notary to complete a certificate. A notary also may not be allowed to act as one of the witnesses on the same document, so plan for people to attend who are separate from the notary. Our guide What a Witness Does at a Signing (and What They Do Not) covers the role.

How to find the right office to ask

Start with who wrote the form. The requesting office is the one that decides what it accepts, so ask it directly. Good questions are short: Does this need a notary, or will you accept a witnessed signature? Which certificate wording do you need? Do you need a certified copy from the agency, or will a photocopy do?

If the word is notarized, a notary can help you. If the word is certified and it means a copy of a record, go to the office that issued the record. If it is certified translation, go to the translator. If it is sworn, ask whether they want an oath taken before a notary, or whether a declaration under penalty of perjury is enough. If it is witnessed, ask how many witnesses, and whether there are rules about who may serve.

What a notary will and will not do

A notary can tell you which notarial acts they perform and complete the one you ask for. A notary cannot decide which one your document needs, cannot explain what the document means, and cannot tell you whether the office will accept it. Those answers come from the office that asked for the paper, or from an attorney if you are unsure about the legal side.

If you bring a form that simply says notarized, the notary will usually look for wording on the page that names the act. If there is none, the notary will ask the signer to find out from the requester, not guess. MCC Solutions does the same: we complete the act you name and point you back to the requesting office when the form is unclear.

Common questions

More notary guides

• What Is a Certified Translation and When Is It Required?
• Affidavit of Identity When Your Names Do Not Match
• What ID do you need to get something notarized?

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change; check with the office involved or an attorney for your situation.