REASON 5: Failure to identify the person whose signature is being notarized
It is the notary’s responsibility to properly identify the customer. This can be achieved by several methods: personal knowledge and satisfactory evidence. One notary in eastern Pennsylvania was fined $650 in civil penalties for failing to identify customers through personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence.
Foolish Mistakes That Cost Notaries Money Pennsylvania Association of Notaries PAN Report — Page 4 of 6
If the notary knows the customer as a friend, neighbor or relative with whom they’ve had shared experiences, then the notary’s personal knowledge of the customer serves as proper identification.
There are two types of satisfactory evidence defined by Pennsylvania Notary Public Law: acceptable identification and credible witness. Acceptable identification is a current, government-issued identification card that includes a photograph, signature or physical description, and a serial or identification number. Government-issued identification cards include current drivers’ licenses, passports, permanent residence (green cards) and identification cards issued to government employees.
If a customer does not have acceptable identification, the notary can rely on the testimony of a third person known as a credible witness. A credible witness must be personally known to the notary, must personally know the customer and must appear before the notary with the customer present. The notary must administer an oath or affirmation to the credible witness who then swears to or affirms to the identity of the customer.
A notary had her commission suspended for six months, was fined $650 and ordered to attend a notary education course because she failed to personally identify her customers.
Hmm....I'm not sure why. Try googling Foolish Mistakes that Cost Notaries Money in PA. It should pop up. There's some glitch with the link. I'm not sure why.
Here's a link from PA Notary. It says the Notary can get confirmation from a third party and describes how that is done. See Reason 2, starting page 4.
REASON 5: Failure to identify the person whose signature is being
notarized
It is the notary’s responsibility to properly identify the customer. This can be
achieved by several methods: personal knowledge and satisfactory evidence. One notary in eastern Pennsylvania was fined $650 in civil penalties for
failing to identify customers through personal knowledge or satisfactory
evidence.
Foolish Mistakes That Cost Notaries Money
Pennsylvania Association of Notaries PAN Report — Page 4 of 6
If the notary knows the customer as a friend, neighbor or relative with whom
they’ve had shared experiences, then the notary’s personal knowledge of the
customer serves as proper identification.
There are two types of satisfactory evidence defined by Pennsylvania Notary
Public Law: acceptable identification and credible witness.
Acceptable identification is a current, government-issued identification card
that includes a photograph, signature or physical description, and a serial
or identification number. Government-issued identification cards include
current drivers’ licenses, passports, permanent residence (green cards) and
identification cards issued to government employees.
If a customer does not have acceptable identification, the notary can rely
on the testimony of a third person known as a credible witness. A credible
witness must be personally known to the notary, must personally know the
customer and must appear before the notary with the customer present.
The notary must administer an oath or affirmation to the credible witness
who then swears to or affirms to the identity of the customer.
A notary had her commission suspended for six months, was fined
$650 and ordered to attend a notary education course because she
failed to personally identify her customers.
file:///C:/Users/Debby/Downloads/Foolish%20Mistakes%20the%20Cost%20Notaries%20Money.pdf