Oaths & Affirmations

Oaths and affirmations are notarial acts that compel a person to tell the truth.  

An an oath is a solemn, spoken pledge to God or a Supreme Being.

An affirmation is a spoken pledge made on the signer’s personal honor without reference to a higher power. Either is considered acceptable, and the choice is left to the signer. 

1. The person taking the oath or affirmation must be physically present before you.

2. The Notary may ask the person to raise their right hand or similar gesture, to emphasize the seriousness of the process and to impress upon your signer the significance of their actions. The Notary administers the oath or affirmation by asking if the person swears or affirms the truthfulness of their statement. 

3. The person taking the oath or affirmation must respond clearly, to the Notary, "Yes" or "I do." 

In California, state law provides the following wording for an oath or affirmation, which requires an affirmative answer to one of the two following questions: 

For an oath: "Do you solemnly state that the evidence you shall give in this issue (or matter) shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

For an affirmation: "Do you solemnly state, under penalty of perjury, that the evidence that you shall give in this issue (or matter) shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" (CCP 2094[a]).