Affidavit template

What an affidavit is

An affidavit is a written statement of facts that the person making it, called the affiant or deponent, swears or affirms to be true. What sets it apart from an ordinary letter is that it is sworn: the affiant signs it in front of a notary or another official authorized to administer an oath, which means making a false statement in it can carry the penalty of perjury. Affidavits are used in courts, in government applications, and in private matters wherever someone needs a formal, on-the-record account of facts. Because it is a sworn document, it should contain only facts the affiant knows to be true, stated plainly and without exaggeration.

This is a general template and general information, not legal advice. Requirements for affidavits vary by region and by the office or court that will receive them, and some settings require a specific form, particular wording, or a certain kind of official to witness the oath. Check what the receiving party needs, and for court matters or anything with legal consequences, have a legal professional review your affidavit before you sign it.

How a sworn statement is structured

• A title, naming the document as an affidavit and, where relevant, its subject.
• The affiant's identification, the full name and address of the person swearing the statement.
• An opening oath, stating that the affiant is over the age of majority and swears the following is true.
• Numbered statements of fact, one clear fact per point, in a logical order.
• A closing line, affirming the statement is true to the best of the affiant's knowledge.
• The affiant's signature, signed in front of the official.
• A notary or jurat block, where the official confirms the oath was taken.

The numbered facts are the heart of the document. Keeping one fact per point makes the affidavit easy to read, easy to reference, and harder to dispute, which is exactly what a formal statement should be.

Free affidavit template you can copy

Copy the template below, or open it in the fill tool and type your details onto the page. Every blank line is a field you complete.

AFFIDAVIT OF ____________________ [subject, such as "Name Change" or "Residence"]

State / province of ____________________
County / district of ___________________

I, [affiant full name] ____________________________, of
[affiant address] ________________________________________, being of legal
age and duly sworn, state as follows:

1. I am the person making this affidavit and I have personal knowledge of the
   facts stated below.

2. _________________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________________

5. The statements above are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and
   belief, and I make this affidavit knowing that a false statement may be
   punishable under the law.

Affiant signature: __________________   Date: ____________
Print name: ________________

SWORN (or affirmed) before me on this ______ day of ____________, ________,

Notary / commissioner signature: __________________
Print name and title: ______________________________
My commission expires: ______________
                                              [Notary seal]

How to fill out the affidavit template

1. Open the template in the fill tool. Copy the text above, or start from the ready-made affidavit form and load it into the fill a PDF tool.
2. Name the subject. Fill in the title so the affidavit shows at a glance what it is about, such as an affidavit of residence or of identity.
3. Identify yourself. Enter your full legal name and address as the affiant, and the state or province and county where you are swearing it.
4. Write the facts in numbered points. State each fact you know to be true as its own numbered point, in plain language and logical order. Include only facts, not opinions or guesses.
5. Keep it truthful and specific. Add dates, names, and details where they help, and leave out anything you are not certain of, since the statement is sworn.
6. Sign before the official. Do not sign until you are in front of the notary or commissioner. Then add your signature with the sign a PDF tool if you are completing a printed copy after the oath, or sign in person as the official requires.
7. Have it notarized and download. The official completes the notary block. Download a clean PDF with no watermark for your records and for the office that requested it.

Writing the statements of fact

The numbered statements are where an affidavit succeeds or fails, so write them with care. Each point should contain one fact, stated plainly, that you personally know to be true. Avoid opinions, guesses, and words like probably or I think, because an affidavit is a statement of fact, not belief. Put the points in a logical order, often by time, so anyone reading them can follow what happened. Be specific with dates, names, and amounts, since a vague affidavit is easy to challenge and a precise one is not. If a fact is based on documents, you can refer to them and attach copies as labeled exhibits. Above all, never include anything you are not sure is true, because the whole document is sworn under oath.

The role of the notary

What turns a written statement into an affidavit is the oath, and that is the notary's job. A notary public, or another official authorized to administer oaths such as a commissioner, watches you sign, confirms your identity, and records that you swore or affirmed the statement is true. This is why you must not sign the affidavit in advance. You sign it in the official's presence, and they complete the notary block, sometimes called the jurat, with the date and their seal. Notarization requirements differ by region, so bring valid photo identification, and check whether the office receiving the affidavit needs any particular type of official or wording. The notary confirms the oath, not the truth of your facts, so the responsibility for accuracy stays with you.

Common uses for an affidavit

Affidavits show up in a wide range of situations wherever a sworn account of facts is needed. People use an affidavit of residence to prove where they live, an affidavit of identity or name change to confirm they are the same person under a different name, and an affidavit of support to promise financial backing for someone else. Courts rely on affidavits as written evidence, and government offices often request them for applications and claims. Whatever the subject, the structure stays the same: identify yourself, state the facts under oath in numbered points, and sign in front of an official. Because the same template works across so many uses, saving a base copy makes each new affidavit faster to complete.

Attaching exhibits and keeping copies

Sometimes the facts in an affidavit rest on documents, such as a lease, a receipt, a birth certificate, or a photo. When that is the case, you can refer to the document in a numbered point and attach a copy as a labeled exhibit, for example Exhibit A, so the reader can find it. Reference each exhibit clearly in the statement it supports, and make sure the copies are legible. Once the affidavit is sworn and notarized, keep the signed original safe, since the office or court that requested it will usually want that version, and make a clean PDF copy for your own records. If you may need to swear similar statements again, saving the layout means you only change the facts next time rather than rebuilding the whole document.

Before you sign and swear

• Include only facts you know. Leave out opinions, guesses, and anything you are unsure of.
• Number one fact per point. Keep each statement clear and easy to reference.
• Do not sign early. Sign only in front of the notary or commissioner.
• Bring identification. The official will need to confirm who you are before the oath.
• Check the receiver's requirements. Some offices need specific wording, a certain official, or attached exhibits.

When your affidavit is ready, open the fill tool, complete the facts, and download a clean PDF you can take to a notary and sign. Because everything runs in your browser, a sworn statement with private details stays on your own device. This is general information, not legal advice, so have a professional review anything tied to a court case.