Affidavits
Oaths and affirmations for an affidavit
You will need to take an oath or affirmation to confirm the affidavit is either:
- true
- true to the best of your knowledge if stated on the basis of information and belief.
The witness will ask you what form of oath or affirmation you would like to make and then administer the oath or affirmation.
Oaths
For a Christian oath, the witness might ask:
‘Do you swear that the contents of this affidavit are true and correct, so help you God?’
Then you might respond with:
‘I swear that the contents of this affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, so help me God.’
Or:
‘So help me God.’
You can choose to hold the Bible while taking an oath.
Other religious oaths
If you wish to swear an oath of another religion, you should use wording you believe to be solemn and binding. You can choose to hold your specific religious text while taking an oath.
More information on oaths and affirmations (e.g. what you and the witness might say) can be found in Chapter 4.6 of the Duties of Justices of the Peace (Qualified) and Commissioners for Declarations handbook.
Affirmations
For an affirmation, the witness might ask:
‘Do you solemnly, sincerely and truly affirm and declare that the contents of this your affidavit are true and correct to the best of your knowledge?’
Then you might respond with:
‘I solemnly, sincerely and truly affirm and declare that the contents of this my affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.’
After your oath or affirmation
After you take the oath or affirmation you or your substitute signatory will need to sign the affidavit. You must sign it in the presence of your witness.
In this guide:
- Download an affidavit form
- A witness for an affidavit
- Information an affidavit must include
- Making an affidavit
- Oaths and affirmations for an affidavit
- Signing an affidavit
- After an affidavit is made