What does North Dakota call proof of service?
Certificate or declaration
Document Guides
North Dakota declaration of service
A notarization session fights the current non-officer rule. The change from affidavit to declaration is the reason this page exists.
iRemoteNotary Editorial Team
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Quick Answer
What proof does North Dakota use, and does it explicitly require a notary?
Certificate or declaration. A notarization session fights the current non-officer rule. The change from affidavit to declaration is the reason this page exists.
Do not assume a notary is required from the document title. Send the unsigned page if the signature block is unclear.
Proof at a glance
| Question | This jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Proof name | Certificate or declaration |
| Private server | Perjury declaration since March 1, 2021 |
| Officer | Certificate |
| Traditional notary explicit? | No |
| Perjury alternative? | Yes |
| Recipient acceptance of remote notarization | No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed. |
Current controlling rule
North Dakota proof is controlled, for this guide, by N.D. R. Civ. P. 4. A notarization session fights the current non-officer rule. The change from affidavit to declaration is the reason this page exists.
The date stored for the current text is 2021-03-01. A later amendment is not described as current.
What this jurisdiction calls the proof
The opened materials call it: Certificate or declaration. Classification used in the authority record: declaration under penalty of perjury.
Private process server
Effective March 1, 2021, a person who is not an officer uses a declaration of service under penalty of perjury. The rule replaced the former affidavit wording for that path.
Sheriff, officer, or other listed server
An officer uses a certificate.
Is an oath or notary explicitly required?
The controlling proof sentence reviewed here does not name a notary or other oath officer.
A penalty-of-perjury or unsworn-declaration alternative is part of the official path.
Remote online notarization and court acceptance
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state. When the commission is a Florida commission, Florida's remote online notarization statute governs the notarial act. The court or other recipient still decides whether to accept the return.
If the page is only a declaration, certificate, or signed return, do not add a notary certificate.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
What to send iRemoteNotary
- The unsigned proof, return, or affidavit
- The court, and that the case is connected to North Dakota
- The form number and revision if one is printed
- Whether the signature block is a jurat or a perjury declaration
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Process-serving companies and law firms
A coordinator can submit the request. The signer is the person named on the certificate. There is no organization account, dashboard, volume price, or court-filing service.
One signer and one notarization is $25 domestically. Each additional notarization is $15. An additional signer is $10. A witness is $15. An international session coordination fee of $25 applies when a signer is outside the United States. An international session commonly starts at $50 for one signer and one notarization.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sheriff or officer use the same signature block?
An officer uses a certificate.
Is a penalty-of-perjury declaration an alternative?
Yes, on the path described on this page.
Did the official materials expressly accept remote notarization of the proof?
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Related pages
Sources and Official References
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
North Dakota Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 4(opens in a new tab)
North Dakota
Accessed October 7, 2026
Send the unsigned page
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.