Other Names
- Affidavit of Character
- Character Affidavit
When to Use
While there are some situations where a person is asked to attest to their own character, in most cases, a character affidavit will be completed by a friend, family member, or colleague who can affirm that the individual (“subject”) is an honest, fair, and respectable person.
Affidavits of good moral character might be required in the following instances:
- Adult name change
- Child custody
- Adoption and foster care
- Immigration
- Employment
- Housing
- Professional licensing and certification
- Legal proceedings
How to Write
Affiant and Subject
An affidavit of character must contain the name of the affiant and the subject (person in need of the character reference). The affiant should provide their address, relationship to the subject, and how many years they have known them. A character affidavit may also require the affiant to include their job and employer name.
Affirmation of Character
The affidavit must contain a statement affirming that the subject is of good moral character. Depending on what the form is used for, the affiant may need to provide a few sentences outlining the subject’s positive traits, examples of responsibilities or community involvement, and that they have no knowledge of any criminal behavior.
Notary Acknowledgment
The last section of the form is reserved for the notary public. In most cases, an affidavit of character must be signed in the presence of a notary public, so the affiant will have to wait and sign only when instructed to do so.
Sample
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
AFFIDAVIT OF CHARACTER
Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
I, [AFFIANT NAME], (the “Affiant”), with an address of [AFFIANT ADDRESS], employed at [AFFIANT EMPLOYER] as [AFFIANT POSITION], being duly sworn, hereby swear under oath that:
I have been acquainted with [SUBJECT NAME] (the “Subject”) for [#] years as their [RELATIONSHIP], and I know them to be of good moral character.
Additional information: [PROVIDE PROOF OF MORAL CHARACTER]
NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT
A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document. |
State of [STATE]
County of [COUNTY]
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me, [NOTARY PUBLIC NAME], on [MM/DD/YYYY], by the undersigned, [AFFIANT NAME], who is personally known to me or satisfactorily proven to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Signature: ________________________
(Seal)