In the context of notarizations, an acknowledgement and a jurat are two different types of notarial certificates that serve different purposes:

An acknowledgement is a notarial certificate that is used to verify the voluntary signature of a person on a document. When a document requires an acknowledgement, the notary public verifies the identity of the signer and ensures that they are signing the document willingly and without coercion. The notary public typically confirms the signer's identity by examining their identification documents, such as a driver's license or passport. The notary then attaches an acknowledgement certificate to the document, which includes the notary's signature, seal, and other relevant details, affirming that the signer's signature is genuine.

A jurat is a notarial certificate used when a person is required to provide a sworn statement or an oath. In this case, the notary public administers the oath or affirmation to the person making the statement and ensures that they understand the significance of their declaration. The person making the statement must sign the document in the presence of the notary, who then signs and attaches the jurat certificate. The jurat certificate confirms that the statement was made under oath or affirmation and that the notary public witnessed the signing.