The Affidavit of Character Reference is a Washoe County Clerk form on which a person swears or affirms, under penalty of perjury, that an applicant is of good moral character and will be responsible and conscientious as a Marriage Officiant. It is completed by the person giving the reference, not by the applicant, and signed before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by the Washoe County Clerk.
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What is Affidavit of Character Reference – Washoe County, NV?
The Affidavit of Character Reference is a sworn statement, published by the Washoe County Clerk, in which a person who knows an applicant vouches under penalty of perjury that the applicant is of good moral character and will be responsible and conscientious as a Marriage Officiant.
The form is headed State of Nevada, County of Washoe. The person giving the reference prints their own name and the applicant's name, states how many years they have personally known the applicant, and checks the nature of the relationship: Employer / employee, Family member, Friend / neighbor or Other (with a line to describe it).
The reference then attests that the applicant is a person of good moral character who will be responsible and conscientious in his/her duties as a Marriage Officiant granted the privilege of performing a marriage ceremony. The reference gives contact information: residence physical address, mailing address, residence phone number, alternate phone number and e-mail address.
The affidavit becomes sworn when the reference signs it and the signature is subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk, who signs and affixes the County Seal or Notary Stamp. The form prints no form number or revision date.
Who needs to file Affidavit of Character Reference – Washoe County, NV?
The form is completed by a person who personally knows an applicant and is willing to vouch for that applicant's character as a future Marriage Officiant. The form lists four kinds of relationship the reference can check: employer or employee, family member, friend or neighbor, or another relationship written on the Other line.
The applicant is the person the statement is about: the applicant's name is printed on the form, but the applicant is not the one who swears or signs. The reference signs the affidavit.
The signature must be made before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk, whose signature and County Seal or Notary Stamp appear at the bottom. The form does not say how long the reference must have known the applicant; it only asks for the number of years. It also does not describe any representative or other person who may sign on the reference's behalf.
When to file Affidavit of Character Reference – Washoe County, NV
The form is completed when an applicant who wants to serve as a Marriage Officiant needs a character reference. It prints no deadline and no validity period, so check timing with the Washoe County Clerk. The oath date is entered by the Notary Public or Deputy Clerk at the bottom of the form, in the line reading "this ___ day of ______, 20", so the reference should sign only when appearing before that officer.
How to fill out Affidavit of Character Reference – Washoe County, NV
Confirm the venue heading
The form is pre-printed with State of Nevada and County of Washoe. Do not change the heading.
Print the names and years known
In the first numbered paragraph, print the reference's name on the first line and the applicant's name on the second, then enter the number of years you have personally known the applicant.
Check the relationship
In the relationship paragraph, check Employer / employee, Family member, Friend / neighbor or Other. If you check Other, write the relationship on the line.
Print the applicant's name again
In the statement of good moral character, print the applicant's name exactly as in the first paragraph. The statement refers to the applicant's duties as a Marriage Officiant.
Enter your contact information
Give your residence physical address (city, state, ZIP), mailing address, residence phone number, alternate phone number and e-mail address.
Sign as the reference
Sign on the Signature of Reference line only in front of the Notary Public or Deputy Clerk.
Leave the jurat to the officer
The Notary Public or Deputy Clerk completes the day, month and year, signs, and affixes the County Seal or Notary Stamp.
Review and download the PDF
Check that both names match, every line is complete and the relationship is marked. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then take it to the notary or deputy clerk to sign.
How to submit Affidavit of Character Reference – Washoe County, NV
The form names no mailing address, portal or office for returning it. What it does require is the sworn signature: the reference signs, and a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk completes the jurat, affixing the County Seal or Notary Stamp.
- Before the notary or deputy clerk: the reference signs in that officer's presence, and the officer fills in the day, month and year and signs.
- Delivery: the form issued by the Washoe County Clerk does not print where the finished affidavit goes, so confirm the delivery channel with the Washoe County Clerk's office.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels the Washoe County Clerk provides.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the affidavit before meeting the Notary Public or Deputy Clerk, when the form must be subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before that officer.
- Printing the applicant's name where the reference's own name belongs, or the reverse; the two names are requested separately.
- Leaving the number of years blank in the sentence "have personally known ... for ___ years".
- Not checking any relationship box, or checking Other without writing the relationship on the line.
- Spelling the applicant's name differently in the first sentence and in the statement of good moral character.
- Leaving out the contact lines: residence physical address, mailing address, residence phone, alternate phone or e-mail address.
- Submitting the form without the notary's or deputy clerk's signature and County Seal or Notary Stamp.
- Filling in the notary block's day, month and year in advance instead of letting the officer complete it at the signing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit of Character Reference?
It is a Washoe County Clerk form in which a person swears or affirms under penalty of perjury that an applicant is of good moral character and will be responsible and conscientious as a Marriage Officiant. The reference signs it before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk.
Is this a Washoe County property tax form?
No. The form is a character reference for a Marriage Officiant applicant and has no tax content. It is one of the documents the Washoe County Clerk publishes, so it can appear in searches such as washoe county property tax even though it is unrelated.
Who signs the Affidavit of Character Reference?
The person giving the reference signs, not the applicant. The signature must be made before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk, who then signs and affixes the County Seal or Notary Stamp in the block at the bottom.
Does the affidavit have to be notarized?
The form is written to be subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk. It has a block for that officer's signature and for the County Seal or Notary Stamp, so sign it only in the officer's presence.
Who can be a character reference?
Anyone who personally knows the applicant and can attest to their good moral character. The form lists employer or employee, family member, and friend or neighbor, with an Other line for any different relationship.
Where do I send the completed affidavit?
The form prints no mailing address, portal or delivery instructions. Confirm where to deliver it with the Washoe County Clerk, which publishes the form.
Can I fill out the Affidavit of Character Reference online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service: it does not notarize, file or send the affidavit, so the signature and delivery still follow the Washoe County Clerk's process.
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