Notaries deal with crucial legal contracts and documentations between two or multiple parties. Since a document’s legitimacy depends greatly on the notary seal, it is important for a notary public to check and validate the identification of the person involved in the contract or documentation. Verifying the signer’s identity helps prevent legal disputes, fraudulent activities, and document forgery.
While providing a notary seal on a document, a notary public intends to maintain the highest order of integrity. Verifying the signer’s identification upholds trust in legal, business, and personal transactions. Now, the question is: how does a notary public verify a signer’s identity? In the following section, find the top five proven ways how a notary verifies a signer’s identity.
1. Government-Issued Photo IDs
A government-issued photo identification card is the best way of verifying someone’s identity with precision. Examples of such IDs are a driver’s license, a passport, a state-issued ID, etc. However, there are instances of people faking these documents. There are certain methods for verifying the authenticity of such documents. Find those methods at a glance in the following section.
- Check the holograms and stamps on such documents carefully.
- The documents that exceeded the expiration date should not be considered.
- The signature of the authorized person on the document is important.
2. Personal Knowledge of the Signer
In many cases, the notary service in Spring, TX, verifies a signer’s identity through personal knowledge instead of checking the formal identification documents. The notary should know the person well enough to confirm his or her identity. For example, the notary public may exclude identity document verification for a signer who happens to be a well-known person or celebrity.
However, this is not a widely practiced method for verifying the signer’s identity. The process obviously involves risk, especially when impostors try to create legal documents. Moreover, the procedure does not stand transparent enough. Therefore, it is not recommended in the process involving crafting critical legal documents.
3. Identity Verification Through Witness
A notary public may introduce a credible witness to confirm the identity of a person. The witness should be a trustworthy individual who knows the signer well personally. A witness becomes legitimate under the following circumstances.
- Personally knows the signer
- Should present valid identity documents to the notary
- Takes oath (recorded or written) to confirm signer’s identity
In some US states, a notary public needs only one witness if the signer is well-known to both the notary public and the witness. If the notary does not know the signer personally, another witness is required. Otherwise, a notary cannot provide a seal on the documents. Identity verification through witnesses is suitable for verifying the identity of individuals who are physically disabled, hospitalized, aged, etc.
4. Digital Identity Verification
Another legitimate method of identity verification is checking the digital identification documents. In such cases, the signer does not need to show physical documents. Showing the digital copies is good enough to complete identity verification. The method of verifying identity has been popular in electronic notarization or online notarization procedures.
Legitimate digital copies of all documents are good enough to prove a person’s identity. However, a notary public may demand some exclusive documents in some cases. Convenience is the biggest advantage of verifying the identification through digital documents. The signer can conveniently email the documents to the notary, while the notary does not need to go anywhere physically to collect the documents.
5. Signature Comparison
Signature comparison is another proven way of validating someone’s identity. Every person has a unique handwriting, which makes the signature unique. Experts who deal with signature verification can easily understand signature differences.
The notary may ask the signer to produce past documents containing the signer’s signature. After that, the signer has been asked to provide a signature on paper. Upon verifying the past and present signatures, the notary public can confirm a person’s identity. In some cases, an expert in reading the signature may be hired for the procedure.
Conclusion
So, these are five proven ways how a notary public verifies a signer’s identity. Identity verification before giving a notary seal on a document is an important step in document notarization. The step involves transparency, which is essential to create a legal document containing a notary seal.
People looking for notary services in Houston should find a notary public who performs identification before providing a notary seal on a document. Choosing a legitimate notary public, following all essential steps with precision, is important to maintain the integrity and legitimacy of the critical documents.
