Which act best describes an acknowledgement?

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

Answer: (B)

An acknowledgement is the notarial act that confirms a signer’s signature on a document. The signer appears before the notary, the notary verifies the signer’s identity, and the signer acknowledges that the signature on the document is theirs. The notary then attaches a certificate confirming that appearance and acknowledgment. This is different from a jurat, where the signer swears to the truth of the contents under oath, and from verification on oath or affirmation, where an oath or affirmation verifies statements within the document. While notarization is the broad term for performing a notarial act, the description that best fits an acknowledgement is the act of performing acknowledgments—the signer’s signature is acknowledged, not the truth of the document’s contents.