An acknowledgment is a notarial act where the notary verifies that the signer of a document is indeed the person who signed it and that they did so willingly. The notary does not swear an oath or certify a copy, and while they witness the signing, their primary role is to confirm the identity and the voluntary nature of the signature.
A jurat involves the notary administering an oath or affirmation to the signer, confirming that the contents of the document are true. This requires verifying the signer's identity, unlike acknowledgments, where the focus is on the signature itself, not the document's content.
The primary difference is that a jurat involves administering an oath or affirmation to the signer about the contents of the document, whereas an acknowledgment simply involves verifying the signer’s identity and their signature without addressing the content of the document.
When certifying a copy, the notary must ensure that the copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document. The notary does not need the original document to be signed or notarized, but they do need to confirm that the copy matches the original.
Administering an oath or affirmation is required when a person is making a sworn statement, such as in an affidavit. This ensures that the statement is made under oath and is true to the best of the signer's knowledge, which is different from the other notarial acts listed.
