IL Notary Document Handling and Verification 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When presented with a document for notarization, what is the first thing an Illinois notary should verify?
- That the document has been spell-checked
- That the signer is personally present before the notary (Correct answer)
- That the document has been filed with the county
- That the document was prepared by an attorney
Correct answer: That the signer is personally present before the notary
The first requirement is that the signer must be personally present.
The most fundamental requirement for any in-person notarization in Illinois is the personal appearance of the signer before the notary.
Question 2: An Illinois notary is presented with a document that has blank spaces in critical sections. What should they do?
- Fill in the blanks for the signer
- Notarize it as-is since document content is not the notary's concern
- Refuse to notarize until the blanks are completed (Correct answer)
- Note the blanks in the journal and proceed
Correct answer: Refuse to notarize until the blanks are completed
An Illinois notary should refuse to notarize a document with significant blank spaces.
Illinois notaries should refuse to notarize documents with blank spaces in substantive sections because those spaces could be filled in after notarization.
Question 3: Can an Illinois notary notarize a document written in a language they do not understand?
- No, the notary must be able to read the document
- Yes, as long as the notary can communicate with the signer and identify the notarial certificate (Correct answer)
- Only if a certified translator is present
- Only for commonly spoken languages
Correct answer: Yes, as long as the notary can communicate with the signer and identify the notarial certificate
An Illinois notary may notarize a foreign-language document if they can communicate with the signer and identify the notarial certificate.
Since an Illinois notary certifies the identity of the signer and the voluntary nature of the signing, understanding every word of the document is not strictly required.
Question 4: What forms of identification are acceptable for an Illinois notary to verify a signer's identity?
- Only a driver's license
- Any government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport (Correct answer)
- A utility bill or bank statement
- A signed letter from a known person
Correct answer: Any government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport
Illinois accepts current government-issued photo identification documents.
Illinois notaries may accept current, government-issued photo identification to verify a signer's identity.
Question 5: An Illinois notary notices that the name on the signer's ID does not exactly match the name on the document. What should they do?
- Proceed if the names are close enough
- Refuse to notarize under any circumstances
- Verify the discrepancy is explainable and document it in the journal (Correct answer)
- Change the name on the document to match the ID
Correct answer: Verify the discrepancy is explainable and document it in the journal
Minor name discrepancies may be acceptable if explainable, and should be documented.
Minor name discrepancies between the ID and document are common and may be acceptable if the notary can reasonably determine the signer is the same person.
Question 6: Is an Illinois notary responsible for verifying the truthfulness of a document's contents?
- Yes, the notary must verify all facts in the document
- Yes, but only for financial documents
- No, the notary verifies identity and willingness, not document content (Correct answer)
- No, unless the document involves real estate
Correct answer: No, the notary verifies identity and willingness, not document content
A notary's role is to verify the signer's identity, willingness, and awareness, not document content.
Illinois notaries do not verify, guarantee, or certify the truthfulness or accuracy of a document's contents.
IL Notary Document Handling and Verification 2
When presented with a document for notarization, what is the first thing an Illinois notary should verify?