AR Notary Identification and Verification 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A credible witness used to identify a signer should generally be someone who:
- Is personally known to the notary and personally knows the signer (Correct answer)
- Is related to the signer and benefits from the document
- Presents no identification of their own
- Is a stranger to both the notary and the signer
Correct answer: Is personally known to the notary and personally knows the signer
The credible witness must personally know the signer and be known to the notary (or properly identified), forming a chain of identity.
Question 2: Which detail on a driver's license helps a notary confirm the person standing before them matches the ID?
- The photograph and physical description (Correct answer)
- The license class code
- The organ donor designation
- The issuing office location
Correct answer: The photograph and physical description
The photo and physical description let the notary compare the ID to the person's actual appearance.
Question 3: A signer refuses to show any identification but insists a coworker in the office can vouch for him. The coworker is unknown to the notary and has no ID. What should the notary do?
- Decline to notarize because identity cannot be properly established (Correct answer)
- Accept the coworker's verbal statement
- Notarize but add a disclaimer to the certificate
- Call the signer's employer for confirmation
Correct answer: Decline to notarize because identity cannot be properly established
Without acceptable ID, personal knowledge, or a properly identified credible witness, the notary must refuse the notarization.
Question 4: When examining a foreign passport presented as identification, a notary should confirm that it is:
- Current and contains a photograph and signature of the bearer (Correct answer)
- Translated into English by the signer
- Accompanied by a birth certificate
- Stamped by the Arkansas Secretary of State
Correct answer: Current and contains a photograph and signature of the bearer
Like other IDs, a passport must be current and bear the photograph and signature of the person presenting it.
Question 5: Which situation would most likely justify a notary's suspicion that an ID is fraudulent?
- The photo does not resemble the signer and the lamination appears tampered with (Correct answer)
- The ID was issued in another state
- The signer looks older than the photo taken years ago
- The address on the ID differs from the document address
Correct answer: The photo does not resemble the signer and the lamination appears tampered with
A non-matching photo combined with physical tampering are classic indicators of a falsified identification document.
Question 6: A notary personally knows a signer from years of weekly church meetings. May the notary rely on this to identify the signer?
- Yes, long-standing repeated interactions can establish personal knowledge of identity (Correct answer)
- No, personal knowledge is never permitted in Arkansas
- Only if the signer also shows a photo ID
- Only if a credible witness confirms the relationship
Correct answer: Yes, long-standing repeated interactions can establish personal knowledge of identity
Years of regular interaction provide the reasonable certainty required for identification by personal knowledge.
Question 7: What should a notary compare when a signer signs the document in the notary's presence?
- The signature made against the signature on the presented identification (Correct answer)
- The signer's handwriting against the printed document text
- The signature against the notary's own signature
- The document date against the ID issue date
Correct answer: The signature made against the signature on the presented identification
Comparing the fresh signature to the one on the ID helps confirm the signer is the ID's rightful holder.
AR Notary Identification and Verification 3
A credible witness used to identify a signer should generally be someone who: