Bosses Need to Know the Law
As a notary, you know that your customers must appear before you for all notarial transactions. It is the law.
And yet, there are employers, supervisors and managers who tell their notary employees that customers don’t need to abide by the Notary Public Law regarding personal appearance.
The customer must be properly identified. This is your greatest responsibility.
The Notary Public law states that the notary must determine the customer’s identity through personal knowledge or through satisfactory evidence presented to the notary by the customer. Satisfactory evidence includes acceptable identification, such as a current, government-issued identification card with a photograph or signature or physical description and a serial or identification number.
Using a credible witness is also acceptable. A credible witness is someone who testifies under oath or affirmation to the identity of the customer. The credible witness must be personally known to you, must personally know the customer and must appear before you with the customer.
Personal appearance does not mean notarizing documents via E-mail, fax, video or Web conferencing.
The Department of State is very serious when it comes to notaries demanding the personal appearance of their customers. Notaries are fined and have their commissions suspended or permanently revoked for not requiring the personal appearance of their customers.
For notaries whose bosses insist on not following the personal appearance law, contact PAN President Marc L. Aronson at 1-800-944-8790, Ext. 113 or E-mail him at [email protected].
“If the notary cannot reach out and touch the customer, they cannot serve the customer,” said Aronson. “I’ll be glad to contact those bosses who need a gentle reminder about the importance of personal appearance.”
And yet, there are employers, supervisors and managers who tell their notary employees that customers don’t need to abide by the Notary Public Law regarding personal appearance.
The customer must be properly identified. This is your greatest responsibility.
The Notary Public law states that the notary must determine the customer’s identity through personal knowledge or through satisfactory evidence presented to the notary by the customer. Satisfactory evidence includes acceptable identification, such as a current, government-issued identification card with a photograph or signature or physical description and a serial or identification number.
Using a credible witness is also acceptable. A credible witness is someone who testifies under oath or affirmation to the identity of the customer. The credible witness must be personally known to you, must personally know the customer and must appear before you with the customer.
Personal appearance does not mean notarizing documents via E-mail, fax, video or Web conferencing.
The Department of State is very serious when it comes to notaries demanding the personal appearance of their customers. Notaries are fined and have their commissions suspended or permanently revoked for not requiring the personal appearance of their customers.
For notaries whose bosses insist on not following the personal appearance law, contact PAN President Marc L. Aronson at 1-800-944-8790, Ext. 113 or E-mail him at [email protected].
“If the notary cannot reach out and touch the customer, they cannot serve the customer,” said Aronson. “I’ll be glad to contact those bosses who need a gentle reminder about the importance of personal appearance.”
