1-109.Verification by certification.

Article I. General Provisions · Last amended 2019 · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceLets a person satisfy any requirement that a pleading, affidavit, or other document be sworn or verified by instead signing a certification under penalty of perjury in the form the section sets out, and makes a knowingly false material statement in that certification a Class 3 felony.

Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/1-109

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Unless otherwise expressly provided by rule of the Supreme Court, whenever in this Code any complaint, petition, answer, reply, bill of particulars, answer to interrogatories, affidavit, return or proof of service, or other document or pleading filed in any court of this State is required or permitted to be verified, or made, sworn to or verified under oath, such requirement or permission is hereby defined to include a certification of such pleading, affidavit or other document under penalty of perjury as provided in this Section. Whenever any such pleading, affidavit or other document is so certified, the several matters stated shall be stated positively or upon information and belief only, according to the fact. The person or persons having knowledge of the matters stated in a pleading, affidavit or other document certified in accordance with this Section shall subscribe to a certification in substantially the following form: Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section 1-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the undersigned certifies that the statements set forth in this instrument are true and correct, except as to matters therein stated to be on information and belief and as to such matters the undersigned certifies as aforesaid that he verily believes the same to be true.

Any pleading, affidavit, or other document certified in accordance with this Section may be used in the same manner and with the same force and effect as though subscribed and sworn to under oath, and there is no further requirement that the pleading, affidavit, or other document be sworn before an authorized person.

Any person who makes a false statement, material to the issue or point in question, which he does not believe to be true, in any pleading, affidavit or other document certified by such person in accordance with this Section shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.

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Plain-English Summary

Many filings under this Code must be verified, sworn to, or made under oath. This section provides an alternative to a formal oath: certifying the document under penalty of perjury. Unless a Supreme Court rule expressly provides otherwise, that certification satisfies any requirement or permission that the document be verified or sworn.

The section sets out the substance of the certification language, distinguishing statements made positively from those made on information and belief, and requires the person with knowledge of the matters stated to subscribe to that certification. Once certified this way, the document may be used with the same force and effect as if it had been sworn under oath, and there is no further requirement that it be sworn before a notary or other authorized person.

The section also attaches a criminal consequence to abuse of this shortcut. A person who makes a false statement, material to the issue or point in question, that they do not believe to be true, in a document certified under this section, commits a Class 3 felony.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this section require every pleading to be verified?

No. It applies only where verification or an oath is "required or permitted" by some other rule or provision, and it provides an alternative way to satisfy that requirement.

Can a party still use a notarized oath instead of certification?

The section makes certification the default way to satisfy a verification or oath requirement, unless a Supreme Court rule expressly provides otherwise.

What language must the certification use?

Substantially the form set out in the section, which references Section 1-109 and distinguishes statements made positively from those made on information and belief.

Does a certified document still need to be sworn before a notary?

No. The section says there is no further requirement that the document be sworn before an authorized person once it is certified this way.

What is the penalty for a knowingly false certification?

A Class 3 felony, where the false statement is material to the issue or point in question and the person did not believe it to be true.

Amendment History

(Source: P.A. 100-1086, eff. 1-1-19.)

Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026. · Official source

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