A jurat is a notarial act requiring two mandatory elements: (1) the signer must sign the document in the notary's physical presence, and (2) the signer must take an oath or affirmation attesting that the contents of the document are true. The notary administers the oath verbally and the signer responds affirmatively. California law does not prescribe specific wording for the jurat oath — the notary has discretion to choose appropriate language (Government Code §8202).
The jurat certificate typically contains language such as "subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me."
Exam Tip: Two critical differences from an acknowledgment: (1) the signer must sign in front of you — you cannot accept a pre-signed document for a jurat; (2) the signer is swearing to the truthfulness of the contents, not merely acknowledging they signed it. No specific oath wording is required by law.
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