Declarant
Also called: declarer
A person who signs a written declaration under penalty of perjury. Unlike an affiant, a declarant is not sworn by a notary — the perjury penalty flows from the statute authorizing the declaration rather than from a notarial oath.
Federal practice (28 U.S.C. § 1746) and many Pennsylvania courts accept an unsworn written declaration “under penalty of perjury” in place of a notarized affidavit, which is why some filings do not need a notary at all. If a document already says “I declare under penalty of perjury,” it is a declaration — do not notarize it as a jurat. A notary asked to notarize a declaration should either convert it to a true affidavit (by administering an oath and adding a § 305(b) jurat) or decline.
Source: 42 Pa.C.S. § 5744 — Unsworn declarations (state); 28 U.S.C. § 1746 (federal) — link
See also: affiant, jurat, oath, affirmation
This page is educational information, not legal advice. Pennsylvania notary law changes; always verify against the current version of RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331) and 4 Pa. Code at pa.gov. Consult a PA-licensed attorney for specific situations.