Identification of Signers — Notary Public practice questions

Acceptable identification typically requires:

1. Any photo identification the signer offers, including employee badges and club membership cards, so long as the card bears the holder's photograph and name
2. A current government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID, each bearing a photograph and a signature
3. A certified birth certificate, which establishes the signer's legal name and date of birth, certified by the issuing office of vital records
4. A Social Security card presented together with a recent utility bill that shows the signer's name and current residential address

Answer: B — A current government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID, each bearing a photograph and a signature

A) Wrong — the standard is not simply a photograph; the credential must be government-issued and typically current and signature-bearing. B) Correct — these credentials are issued by a government body, bear a photograph and signature, and are the accepted form of satisfactory evidence in most states. C) Wrong — a birth certificate has no photograph or signature and cannot tie the document to the person present. D) Wrong — neither item carries a photograph, so the pair still fails.

Which feature is LEAST likely to be required of an acceptable identification card?

1. It shows the bearer's residential address matching the document's address
2. It bears a photograph of the bearer and the bearer's signature
3. It lists the bearer's physical description or identifying characteristics
4. It was issued by a government body and remains current or recently issued

Answer: A — It shows the bearer's residential address matching the document's address

A) Correct — address matching is not an identification criterion, and addresses change constantly. B) Photograph and signature are standard criteria. C) A physical description is a commonly listed criterion in state ID statutes. D) Government issuance and currency are standard criteria.

A signer's identification reads M. Ellen Vance and the document names Marie Ellen Vance Whitaker. The notary should

1. accept it, because the initial plainly stands for the fuller first name shown
2. decline on this identification, because the document name exceeds the ID name
3. accept it if the signer swears the two names refer to the same person
4. accept it and note the discrepancy in the certificate's venue line for clarity

Answer: B — decline on this identification, because the document name exceeds the ID name

B) Correct — the document name contains elements absent from the ID, so the ID proves less than the document requires; the less-is-fine, more-is-not principle runs the other way. A) An initial cannot be assumed to expand to a particular name. C) A signer's oath about her own identity is not satisfactory evidence. D) The venue line records place, not name issues.

The credible witness must be identified by the notary because

1. the witness will sign the document as a subscribing witness to the execution
2. state law requires the witness to be a resident of the county of the act
3. an unidentified witness's vouching would leave identity resting on an unknown person
4. the witness assumes joint liability with the signer for the contents of the document signed

Answer: C — an unidentified witness's vouching would leave identity resting on an unknown person

C) Correct — the chain of identity is only as strong as its weakest link, so the witness must herself be known or identified. A) The credible witness attests to identity, not to execution. B) Residency requirements of that kind are not general. D) The witness takes on no liability for the document's substance.

If the document name reads 'Jane A. Smith' and the ID reads 'Jane Anderson Smith,' the notary should:

1. Refuse, because the name on the document and the name on the identification are not identical
2. Proceed — the initial "A." is reasonably consistent with the middle name "Anderson" on the ID
3. Cross out the name on the document and rewrite it to match the identification exactly
4. Notarize only after the signer executes a separate affidavit explaining the discrepancy

Answer: B — Proceed — the initial "A." is reasonably consistent with the middle name "Anderson" on the ID

A) Wrong — an exact character-for-character match is not the standard; the names must be reasonably consistent. B) Correct — an initial standing in for a spelled-out middle name is the classic acceptable variation, since the ID contains at least as much of the name as the document does. C) Wrong — the notary never alters the wording of a signer's document. D) Wrong — an affidavit is unnecessary for a variation this minor. What counts as reasonably consistent varies somewhat by state.

What should a notary do if the name on the ID differs from the name on the document?

Only proceed if the ID name is the same as, or more comprehensive than, the document name. Otherwise the signer needs other identification or corrected documents.

What should a notary do if identification cannot be established?

Refuse the notarial act and, where required, record the refusal in the journal. Never rely on a coworker's assurance or an unsworn third party.

What is satisfactory evidence of identity?

Reasonable certainty of the signer's identity, established by a current government-issued identification document, by one or more credible witnesses, or by the notary's personal knowledge, as state law allows.

Personal knowledge?

Notary personally knows the signer over time. Most states allow this as identification, but it should be documented in the journal.