What is a notarial certificate?

A notarial certificate is indeed the wording completed by the notary at the end of a document, which serves as an official declaration of the actions taken during a notarial act. This certificate includes essential details such as the notary's name, the date of the notarization, the type of notarial act performed, and sometimes information about the signer’s identity verification. This formal statement is crucial because it provides legal authenticity to the document being notarized, confirming that the necessary steps were taken to ensure it is valid.

The other options do not accurately define a notarial certificate. A written statement detailing the notary's personal information does not encompass the purpose of a notarial certificate, which focuses on the specifics of the notarization itself. The document signed by the notary prior to the notarial act would not be relevant as the notarial certificate is created after the act has taken place, while a record kept by the notary of their completed acts serves a different function, essentially being a log rather than a specific certificate related to an individual notarization.