An oath is a ceremonial act with a substantive core, and California does not prescribe its wording. What is required is that the notary put a question to the signer calling for a solemn commitment to the truth of the statements, and that the signer respond affirmatively. Asking whether the signer swears or affirms that the statements in the document are true, and receiving a yes, meets that entirely. The distractors each add a formality the law does not require. There is no verbatim script in the Government Code to be read out. Raised hands are traditional but not mandatory, and imposing them can create awkwardness with signers whose beliefs or physical condition make the gesture unsuitable. And writing a perjury declaration above the signature is a feature of some documents rather than a substitute for the spoken oath — the oath must be administered, not written. The two things that do matter are that the exchange actually happen aloud and that the signer answer for themselves.
