On an affidavit, “ss.” is a Latin abbreviation for scilicet, meaning “namely” or “in particular.” It sits in the venue block at the top of the document and introduces the state and county where the affidavit was signed and sworn. For anyone signing an affidavit, it’s a centuries-old formality you don’t need to fill in or act on; its only job is to flag the location that follows.1Mass.gov. What Does SS Mean?
The Latin Behind the Abbreviation
Lawyers have used scilicet for centuries to mean “namely” or “to wit,” and “ss.” is the shorthand that stuck.2National Notary Association. Hotline Tip: What Does ‘SS’ Mean On A Notarial Certificate The American Society of Notaries treats it as the historical predecessor to the modern venue requirement on notarized documents, functioning as a label that says “specifically, this is where the notarization happened.”3American Society of Notaries. S.S.–What Does It Mean?
The derivation isn’t entirely settled. The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office notes that the origin “is a matter of some debate” even among legal historians, with some scholars pointing to other Latin phrases or scribal conventions whose original meaning was lost over time.1Mass.gov. What Does SS Mean? For practical purposes the debate doesn’t matter. Every modern authority agrees “ss.” marks the venue, and that’s enough to know when you see it on a document.
Why the Venue Matters
The venue line records exactly where the oath was administered, and that information does real work. A notary public can only act within the geographic boundaries of their commission. If a notary commissioned in one state tries to notarize a document in another, the notarization is invalid because the notary had no authority there. The venue is what proves the notary was operating within bounds.
Venue also affects how the affidavit holds up in court. Judges rely on the stated location to confirm the oath was properly administered under local rules. An affidavit with a missing or wrong venue gives the opposing side an opening to argue the document shouldn’t be admitted as evidence, because there’s no proof the notarization followed proper procedure.4National Notary Association. Avoid Common Notary Certificate Mistakes
Where You’ll See It on the Page
“ss.” lives near the top of the affidavit, between the state and county names in the venue block. A typical layout looks like this:
State of ________
County of ________ ) ss.2National Notary Association. Hotline Tip: What Does ‘SS’ Mean On A Notarial Certificate
Some formats put it on its own line between the state and county. Others tuck it in parentheses after the county. A Massachusetts document might read “Franklin, ss.” followed by the date.1Mass.gov. What Does SS Mean? The formatting shifts by jurisdiction and by whoever printed the form. The function is always the same.
Is It Legally Required
In almost every situation, no. The American Society of Notaries describes the “ss.” notation as “simply a formality in the structure of the venue that you have already satisfied by noting the county name.”3American Society of Notaries. S.S.–What Does It Mean? What courts and recording offices actually check is the venue information itself: the state and the county. If those are present and accurate, a missing “ss.” is unlikely to cause problems.
Many pre-printed affidavit forms include “ss.” as standard boilerplate, and clerks sometimes question blank fields on a form. The practical approach: if it’s already printed, leave it. If you’re drafting your own affidavit from a template that includes it, keep it in. But don’t assume your document is defective just because “ss.” isn’t there. The venue information is what matters.
Remote Online Notarization Changes What the Venue Shows
One point trips people up. In remote online notarization, where you appear before a notary over video rather than in person, the venue reflects the notary’s physical location, not yours. If you’re in Texas and the notary is sitting in New York, the venue will show New York and whatever county the notary is in.5National Notary Association. Where Do a Signer and Notary Have to Be Located During a Remote Notarization That can feel strange when you’re looking at a document that says you were somewhere you’ve never been, but the logic is consistent with how venue has always worked. It records where the notary administered the oath, not where the signer happened to be.
Why a Centuries-Old Formality Still Appears
An affidavit is a statement you’re swearing is true under penalty of perjury. Lying in one exposes you to criminal prosecution the same way lying on the witness stand would. The venue block, the “ss.” abbreviation, the notary’s seal, and the oath itself all exist to make it unmistakably clear that you knew you were making a sworn statement. The formalities look fussy, and some of them, like “ss.,” are mostly ceremonial at this point. They stay on the page because together they close off the argument, later, that you didn’t understand what you were signing.