Quick answer. Below is the state's official sample certificate wording, act by act. We show four forms: acknowledgment (individual), jurat (verification on oath or affirmation), verification by a subscribing witness and copy attested by the document holder (notarized). We found no official form for acknowledgment (representative capacity) and signature witnessing. There is no fixed remote sentence in the sources we read.
These are the Secretary of State's sample certificates from the Notary Public Reference Manual (2023), reproduced as printed. The manual's acknowledgment sample uses she/her; use the pronoun that fits.
Which South Carolina certificate do I use?
| Act | Use it when | South Carolina source |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgment (individual) | The signer declares that the signature on the document is theirs and that they signed willingly. No oath is given. Deeds, powers of attorney and many contracts use it. | Reference Manual p. 25, citing S.C. Code § 26-1-5(1) |
| Jurat (verification on oath or affirmation) | The signer swears or affirms that the statements in the document are true, and signs in front of you. Affidavits and other sworn statements use it. | Reference Manual p. 21, citing S.C. Code § 26-1-5(4)(b) |
| Copy attested by the document holder (notarized) | You certify that a copy is a true copy of an original presented to you, only for documents your state lets notaries copy (vital records and recorded documents are usually excluded). | Reference Manual p. 23 |
| Verification by a subscribing witness | A sworn statement in this state's own verification format (for example, a subscribing witness proving a signature, or a signer swearing they read the document). | Reference Manual p. 19, citing S.C. Code § 26-1-5(6) |
| Acknowledgment (representative capacity) | Like an acknowledgment, but the signer signs for someone else: a company, a trust, a partnership, or a principal under a power of attorney. The certificate names the capacity and the party represented. | No official form found |
| Signature witnessing | You watch the signer sign and confirm who they are. There is no oath, and the signer does not need to state that the contents are true. | No official form found |
South Carolina certificate wording
Acknowledgment (individual) Official sample
The signer declares that the signature on the document is theirs and that they signed willingly. No oath is given. Deeds, powers of attorney and many contracts use it.
State of South Carolina
County of __________
On this ____ day of ________, 20__, before me personally appeared ____________, who provided satisfactory evidence of her identification to be the person whose name is subscribed to this instrument and she acknowledged that she executed the foregoing instrument by her signature here.
(Official Seal)
____________________ Official Signature of Notary
____________________, Notary Public (Notary's printed or typed name)
My commission expires: ____________
Jurat (verification on oath or affirmation) Official sample
The signer swears or affirms that the statements in the document are true, and signs in front of you. Affidavits and other sworn statements use it.
Sworn and Subscribed before me
On this ____ day of ________, ____
____________________ Notary Public for South Carolina
Commission Expires: ____________
The manual's oath: "Do you solemnly swear that the contents of this affidavit (or other document) are known to you and that the information is true and correct, so help you God?" Its affirmation ends "under the pains and penalties of perjury?" instead.
Copy attested by the document holder (notarized) Official sample
You certify that a copy is a true copy of an original presented to you, only for documents your state lets notaries copy (vital records and recorded documents are usually excluded).
State of South Carolina
County of __________
On this ____ day of ________, 20__, I, ____________, Document Holder holder of ____________, consisting of ____ pages, attest that it is a true, exact, complete and unaltered photocopy of the original. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the photocopied document is not a public record, of which certified copies are available from an official source.
____________________ Document Holder's Signature
Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this the ____ day of ________, ____
(Official Seal)
____________________ Official Signature of Notary
____________________, Notary Public (Notary's printed or typed name)
My commission expires: ____________
South Carolina notaries may not certify photocopies themselves. The document holder signs this affidavit and the notary notarizes the holder's signature. Not allowed where a certified copy is available from an official source, such as vital records.
Other South Carolina forms
Verification by a subscribing witness Official sample
A sworn statement in this state's own verification format (for example, a subscribing witness proving a signature, or a signer swearing they read the document).
__________ County, South Carolina
I certify that ____________ (Name of subscribing witness) personally appeared before me this day and certified to me under oath or by affirmation that he or she is not a grantee or beneficiary of the transaction, signed the foregoing document as a subscribing witness, and either [ ] witnessed ____________ (Name of principal) sign the foregoing document or [ ] witnessed ____________ (Name of principal) acknowledge his or her signature on the already-signed document.
Date: ____________
(Official Seal)
____________________ Official Signature of Notary
____________________, Notary Public (Notary's printed or typed name)
My commission expires: ____________
No official South Carolina form found
- Acknowledgment (representative capacity). The manual has no representative-capacity acknowledgment. No official form found; check with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
- Signature witnessing. The manual has no signature-witnessing certificate (only the procedure for a signature by mark). No official form found; check with the Secretary of State.
Remote and electronic acts in South Carolina
The manual does not address electronic or remote certificates. No official remote form found; check with the South Carolina Secretary of State. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State), checked November 7, 2026)
What a South Carolina certificate must contain
- The certificate must state the facts attested, not just your signature and title. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- The venue is the county where the notarization takes place. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- Sign by hand in ink exactly as on your commission, after the act is performed; print your name as commissioned and include your expiration date. No signature stamps. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- The seal shows your name, notary public and State of the state (the expiration date on the seal is optional); using a seal is strongly encouraged. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
Common South Carolina certificate mistakes
Summarized in our own words from the official sources named after each item.
- Notarizing a blank or incomplete document, or one with no certificate wording. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- Pre-dating or post-dating a notarial act. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- Certifying a photocopy yourself, or anything involving vital records. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- Using a stamp or electronic signature in place of a handwritten signature. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- Notarizing when the signer isn't present or identified by satisfactory evidence. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
- Notarizing outside the state. (Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State))
The South Carolina certificate wording pack
$15 one time. The wording on this page is public law and stays free here; the pack is the fill-in files and the organizing.
- A one-page "which certificate do I use?" chart for the state: each act, when it's used and the official sample it comes from.
- The South Carolina wording reference: every form on this page with its source, plus what a state certificate must contain (venue, seal, commission details).
- Fill-in certificates in Word, one per page, with matching PDFs, so you can attach a loose certificate when a document needs one.
- A common-mistakes checklist from the official sources: six items for the state, each with its source.
See the South Carolina certificate wording pack
Sources
- Notary Public Reference Manual 2023 (South Carolina Secretary of State) (checked November 7, 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Notaries follow their own state's law and the official handbook, and the receiving office decides what it accepts, so nothing here guarantees a document will be accepted. Questions about a particular document go to the South Carolina Secretary of State, notaries or an attorney.
South Carolina certificate questions
What is the South Carolina acknowledgment certificate wording?
The official sample (Reference Manual p. 25, citing S.C. Code § 26-1-5(1)) reads: "State of South Carolina County of __________ On this ____ day of ________, 20__, before me personally appeared ____________, who provided satisfactory evidence of her identification to be the person whose name is subscribed to this instrument and she acknowledged that she executed the foregoing instrument by her signature here." It closes with (Official Seal), Official Signature of Notary and , Notary Public (Notary's printed or typed name).
What is the South Carolina jurat wording?
The official sample (Reference Manual p. 21, citing S.C. Code § 26-1-5(4)(b)) reads: "Sworn and Subscribed before me On this ____ day of ________, ____" Use it only when you give the signer an oath or affirmation and they sign in front of you.
Can a South Carolina notary certify a copy?
Yes, within limits. The official sample (Reference Manual p. 23) reads: "State of South Carolina County of __________ On this ____ day of ________, 20__, I, ____________, Document Holder holder of ____________, consisting of ____ pages, attest that it is a true, exact, complete and unaltered photocopy of the original. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the photocopied document is not a public record, of which certified copies are available from an official source. ____________________ Document Holder's Signature Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this the ____ day of ________, ____" South Carolina notaries may not certify photocopies themselves. The document holder signs this affidavit and the notary notarizes the holder's signature. Not allowed where a certified copy is available from an official source, such as vital records.
What else must a South Carolina notarial certificate show?
The certificate must state the facts attested, not just your signature and title. The venue is the county where the notarization takes place.
Is there a South Carolina remote notarization statement?
The manual does not address electronic or remote certificates. No official remote form found; check with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Who decides which South Carolina certificate to use?
The person asking for the notarization, or whoever drafted the document, tells you which notarial act they need; a notary who isn't an attorney shouldn't choose it for them. If a document has no certificate, follow the South Carolina Secretary of State, notaries's guidance. We are not lawyers, and nothing here promises that a receiving office will accept a document.
Related: All states · Becoming a notary in South Carolina · Notary work in South Carolina · Rhode Island certificate wording · Texas certificate wording