Attestation
Attestation is a formal statement confirming that something is true or genuine. In contracts, it usually means a witness confirming, by signing, that they saw a document being signed.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 1 min read
Two common meanings
- Attesting a signature: a witness signs an attestation clause, such as Signed in the presence of, to confirm they watched the signing.
- Attesting a fact: a person signs to confirm a statement, like an employee attesting they finished safety training or an applicant attesting their income figures are accurate.
Why it matters
An attestation turns a fact into a signed, dated statement that someone stands behind. On a will or a deed, a missing or defective attestation can make the document invalid. On a compliance form, it records who confirmed what and when, which matters if the statement later turns out to be false.
An example
A crew lead signs a safety checklist each morning under the line I attest that this site was inspected before work began. The attestation names who checked, and the date shows when.
In SignMaster
Put the statement in the document, add a checkbox field beside it, then a signature and a Date signed field. For a witness attestation, add the witness as a separate signer. The certificate of completion records who signed and when.