A notary identifies a signer who acknowledges that the signature on the document is theirs. The document may be signed before appearing in front of the notary.

• A. Notarization
• B. Verification on Oath or Affirmation
• C. Acknowledgements
• D. Jurat

Answer: (C)

The situation describes an acknowledgment. In an acknowledgment, the signer appears before the notary to acknowledge that the signature on the document is theirs, and the signing may have occurred before the signer’s appearance. The notary’s job is to identify the signer and witness the signed acknowledgment, then attach the appropriate certificate and seal. This differs from a jurat, where the signer must sign in the notary’s presence and take an oath or affirmation regarding the content of the document. A verification on oath or affirmation involves swearing to the truth of statements, not simply acknowledging a signature. Notarization is the broad term for performing a notarial act, but the act that matches “acknowledges that the signature is theirs” is the acknowledgment.