Free notarized affidavit template — by state

What an affidavit is, in plain English

An affidavit is a written statement of fact made voluntarily and sworn to be true under penalty of perjury, signed in the presence of a notary public who witnesses the signature and administers an oath or affirmation. The notary then completes a "jurat" — the notary block at the bottom — confirming the time, place, and identity of the signer. Affidavits are used in court filings, name changes, real-estate transactions, identity verification, small-estate proceedings, immigration matters, insurance claims, and dozens of other contexts where a sworn statement is needed without dragging a witness into a courtroom.

There is a related but distinct document called a "sworn declaration" or "declaration under penalty of perjury", authorized for federal use by 28 U.S.C. § 1746 and for state use by most state equivalents.¹ A declaration carries the same legal weight as an affidavit but does not require a notary — the signer simply adds the statutory language ("I declare under penalty of perjury…"). For federal court filings under FRCP 56 and many similar contexts, a declaration is sufficient. For real-estate, immigration, name-change, and most state court matters, a notarized affidavit is still the safer default.

The seven parts of a valid affidavit

A valid affidavit contains seven components. A template that hides or merges these often passes superficial review but creates problems when a court clerk or recording office rejects it for being defective.

State-by-state notary cost and remote-notarization status

Notary fees are set by state statute, with separate rules for traditional in-person notarization and Remote Online Notarization (RON). The table below is a quick reference for ten high-population states; for the others, search "[state] notary fee schedule" or check the relevant Secretary of State page.

Compiled from state notarial-act statutes and Secretary of State guidance pages, accessed May 2026. Notary fee caps and RON authorisations change; verify with the applicable state Secretary of State before relying on a specific figure.

Filling, signing, and notarizing — in five steps

1. Open the template. ScoutMyTool's affidavit template runs entirely in your browser — your facts are never uploaded.
2. Fill the facts as numbered paragraphs. Each statement gets its own line. Be specific (dates, times, names, locations). Avoid hearsay; everything in an affidavit should be within your personal knowledge.
3. Do not sign yet. An affidavit must be signed in the presence of a notary — signing in advance invalidates the jurat. Save the filled PDF unsigned and bring or upload it to the notary.
4. Notarize — in person or online. In person: bank, UPS Store, FedEx, AAA, or a mobile notary will witness your signature and complete the jurat for $5–$25 in most states. Online (RON): vendors like Notarize.com, BlueNotary, or DocuSign Notary verify your identity, host a video session, witness the e-signature and apply a digital seal for $25–$50. Confirm RON is authorized in your state from the table above.
5. Keep the notarized PDF and a printed copy. For RON, the vendor also keeps an audio-visual recording of the session for the statutory retention period (5–10 years depending on state). If you need to send the notarized affidavit by email, password-protect it first using Protect PDF.

When a template is not enough

Three scenarios where you should not rely on a generic template:

1. Litigation affidavits. Affidavits used in court filings often have jurisdiction-specific formatting requirements (caption, line numbering, page limits). Use the court's own template or your attorney's.
2. Immigration affidavits. Form I-864 affidavits of support and similar USCIS documents have specific federal-form requirements that supersede a generic affidavit template. ScoutMyTool offers a sponsorship affidavit cover but the underlying I-864 must be the official USCIS form.
3. Probate / small-estate affidavits. Many states have a statutory small-estate-affidavit form, often with dollar-value thresholds and specific witness or heir-acknowledgment requirements. Check your state's probate code or local clerk.

Related ScoutMyTool templates and tools

• General affidavit template — the main template referenced in this article.
• Identity-theft affidavit — specialized variant for FTC/IRS identity-theft reporting.
• Sponsorship affidavit cover (I-864) — immigration sponsorship cover sheet.
• PDF Form Fill — fill an AcroForm affidavit in the browser without Adobe.
• Sign PDF — for non-notarized signatures; affidavits themselves must be signed in front of the notary.
• Protect PDF — password-protect the notarized PDF before emailing.
• DocuSign free alternatives — for the broader electronic-signature workflow.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an affidavit and a sworn declaration?

An affidavit is signed in the physical or electronic presence of a notary public, who administers an oath or affirmation and witnesses the signature. A sworn declaration is a statement made under penalty of perjury without a notary, authorized by 28 U.S.C. § 1746 for use in federal proceedings (and many state equivalents). For most federal court filings a sworn declaration is sufficient and avoids the notarization step. For real-estate, immigration, name-change, and small-estate matters, a notarized affidavit is usually still required by statute or court rule.

Can I get an affidavit notarized online instead of going to a bank or UPS Store?

In most US states, yes. Remote Online Notarization (RON) is now permanently authorized in 40+ states, including Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Washington, Virginia and Massachusetts. The notary verifies the signer's identity via knowledge-based authentication plus credential analysis of a photo ID, witnesses the signature on a video call, and applies an electronic seal. The completed affidavit is delivered as a digitally signed PDF. Cost is typically $25–$50 for a single notarization.

Which states do not yet allow remote online notarization?

As of May 2026 the holdouts are smaller. California has authorized RON by statute (SB 696, 2023) but full implementation by the Secretary of State has lagged — most national RON vendors are not yet available to sign before a California notary. South Carolina has authorized RON only on a limited basis. Verify current status with your state's Secretary of State office, especially for time-sensitive filings; this area has changed substantially over the last five years and continues to move.

How much does notarization actually cost?

In-person notarial fees are set by state statute and are usually $2–$15 per signature. Many banks notarize for free for account holders. UPS Stores, FedEx, AAA, and the front desk of most large hotels notarize for $5–$25. Remote online notarization vendors (Notarize.com, BlueNotary, NotaryCam, DocuSign Notary) charge $25–$50 per single notarization, with bulk plans for businesses. The premium pays for the technology platform and the convenience of not driving anywhere.

Is a notarized affidavit accepted in every state?

Generally yes. Under the federal Full Faith and Credit Clause and the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act adopted in most states, an affidavit properly notarized in one state is recognized by the courts and recording offices of another. Real estate documents are an exception in some states, where additional language is required ("acknowledgment in conformity with the laws of the receiving state"). When in doubt, ask the receiving institution what language they need in the jurat.

What happens if I lie in an affidavit?

You are committing perjury, a felony in every US jurisdiction. State perjury statutes typically carry penalties of up to five years' imprisonment plus fines, and federal perjury under 18 U.S.C. § 1621 carries up to five years and fines as well. Courts and administrative agencies rely on affidavits because lying in one is criminal — sign only after reading every statement carefully and being certain each one is true and within your personal knowledge.

Can the notary refuse to notarize an affidavit?

Yes, and they should refuse in three situations. (a) The signer cannot prove identity (no acceptable ID). (b) The signer appears not to understand the document or appears to be under duress. (c) The notary has a personal interest in the transaction (a conflict of interest). A notary who notarizes despite any of these is exposed to professional discipline and civil liability. If a notary refuses, the affidavit is not "broken" — just bring it back when the issue is resolved, or find a different notary.