Affidavit Format
A general-purpose affidavit format with numbered declarations and the verification clause courts and authorities expect.
An affidavit is a statement of facts sworn by the person making it — the deponent — and it is how facts are formally placed before a court, department or office. Name-mismatch corrections, address declarations, lost-document statements and income declarations all travel on this one structure.
The format below is the standard skeleton: the deponent's identification, numbered factual paragraphs, a purpose paragraph, and the verification clause. Keep each paragraph to one fact, state only what you can stand behind — a false affidavit is punishable — and swear it before a Notary Public or Oath Commissioner on stamp paper of your state's value.
When to use this format
- Declaring that two differently spelt names in your documents refer to the same person
- Recording a change of address, loss of a document or similar fact for submission to an authority
- Supporting an application (passport, licence, admission, tender) that asks for a sworn statement
- Placing any fact on record where the receiving office requires it on affidavit
Key clauses and what they do
- Deponent identification
- States who is swearing the affidavit — name, parentage, age, occupation and address.
- Competence paragraph
- Confirms the deponent knows the facts personally and is competent to swear them.
- Numbered declarations
- The facts themselves, one per paragraph, in plain and specific language.
- Purpose paragraph
- Says why the affidavit is being made and to whom it will be submitted.
- Truthfulness paragraph
- Affirms the contents are true and that nothing material is concealed.
- Verification clause
- The dated, signed confirmation of the paragraphs — an affidavit without it is defective.
- Notarial attestation
- The swearing before a Notary Public or Oath Commissioner that gives the document its force.
The format
Replace every [BRACKETED] detail with your own before use.
AFFIDAVIT
[BEFORE THE — COURT / AUTHORITY / OFFICE TO WHICH IT WILL BE
SUBMITTED, IF ANY]
[CASE / APPLICATION / REFERENCE NO., IF ANY]
I, [FULL NAME OF DEPONENT], son/daughter/wife of [FATHER'S /
HUSBAND'S NAME], aged [AGE] years, occupation [OCCUPATION], residing
at [FULL ADDRESS], do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as under:
1. That I am the deponent herein, am fully conversant with the facts
stated below, and am competent to swear this affidavit.
2. That [STATE THE FIRST FACT — e.g. my name has been recorded as
[NAME A] in (document) and as [NAME B] in (document), and both
names refer to one and the same person, namely myself].
3. That [STATE THE SECOND FACT, IF ANY].
4. That this affidavit is made to place the above facts on record
for submission to [AUTHORITY / OFFICE / PURPOSE].
5. That the contents of this affidavit are true and correct to the
best of my knowledge and belief, and nothing material has been
concealed therefrom.
DEPONENT
Signature: __________________
VERIFICATION
Verified at [PLACE] on this [DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR], that the
contents of paragraphs 1 to [N] of this affidavit are true and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and nothing material
has been concealed.
DEPONENT
Signature: __________________
[To be sworn on non-judicial stamp paper of the value applicable in
the state and attested before a Notary Public / Oath Commissioner,
who will affix seal, date and register the attestation.]General format for reference — get it professionally drafted for your specific case.
Stamp-paper value and attestation practice vary by state and by the office receiving the affidavit; courts and some departments prescribe their own affidavit formats that override this general one. A false affidavit invites prosecution — state only verifiable facts.
Need this drafted for your exact situation?
A practising advocate drafts the document around your facts, your state's stamp and registration rules, and the clauses that actually protect you — with execution guidance included.
Frequently asked questions
Who can attest an affidavit?
A Notary Public or an Oath Commissioner. Affidavits for court proceedings are usually sworn before the Oath Commissioner attached to that court; affidavits for departments and general use are notarised. The attesting officer's seal, date and register entry complete the affidavit.
What stamp paper does an affidavit need?
Non-judicial stamp paper of the value your state prescribes for affidavits — commonly a small denomination such as ₹10–₹100, but it differs by state. The notary's office will tell you the local value.
What happens if something in an affidavit turns out to be false?
Swearing a false affidavit is an offence — it can be prosecuted as giving false evidence, and the application it supported can be cancelled. Never state a fact you cannot stand behind.
Does the verification clause really matter?
Yes — it is what elevates the document from a statement to sworn evidence. An affidavit without a proper verification (place, date, paragraphs verified) is treated as defective and can be rejected outright.
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