Which of the following constitutes acceptable identity verification for a signer?

• A. Personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence
• B. Verbal assurance
• C. Only a passport
• D. A government-issued photo ID is sufficient

Answer: (A)

Identity verification in notary practice rests on two solid paths: the signer is personally known to the notary, or the signer provides credible, satisfactory evidence of identity through documents. Verbal assurances alone aren’t enough because there’s no independent record to verify who is signing. If the signer is known to the notary, identity is established through that relationship. If not, the signer must present credible documentation, such as government-issued identification, that the notary can verify as valid and that matches the signer’s claimed name. The important point is that identity can be established either through personal knowledge or through credible documents, not by speaking the truth alone.