MI Notary Signer Identification and Credentialing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the PRIMARY purpose of verifying a signer's identity before performing a notarial act in Michigan?
- To comply with IRS reporting requirements
- To ensure the person signing is who they claim to be and prevent fraud (Correct answer)
- To verify the signer's legal authority to execute the document
- To confirm that the document itself is legally valid
Correct answer: To ensure the person signing is who they claim to be and prevent fraud
Identity verification ensures the person appearing before the notary is indeed the individual named in the document, which is the foundational purpose of notarization in preventing fraud.
Question 2: A signer presents a current Michigan Enhanced Driver's License to a notary. How should the notary treat this document?
- Reject it because enhanced licenses are only for border crossing purposes
- Accept it as valid identification if it is current and not expired (Correct answer)
- Require an additional form of identification alongside it
- Contact the Secretary of State to verify its authenticity first
Correct answer: Accept it as valid identification if it is current and not expired
A Michigan Enhanced Driver's License is a government-issued photo ID and serves as satisfactory evidence of identity when it is current and valid.
Question 3: Under Michigan law, which individual CAN properly serve as a credible witness to identify a signer?
- The signer's spouse who is not personally known to the notary
- The notary's close friend who also personally knows the signer (Correct answer)
- A stranger who presents a valid photo ID
- The signer's attorney whom the notary has never met before
Correct answer: The notary's close friend who also personally knows the signer
A credible witness must be personally known to the notary; the notary's friend who also knows the signer satisfies the personal knowledge requirement.
Question 4: When a Michigan notary relies on personal knowledge to verify a signer's identity, what should be reflected in the notary's journal?
- A full history of the notary's relationship with the signer
- A notation that the signer's identity was established through personal knowledge (Correct answer)
- The signer's Social Security number as backup verification
- Nothing; personal knowledge does not need to be documented
Correct answer: A notation that the signer's identity was established through personal knowledge
The notary's journal should document how the signer's identity was established, including when personal knowledge was used in lieu of documentary evidence.
Question 5: A signer presents a currently valid state ID card issued by another U.S. state. A Michigan notary should:
- Reject it and require a Michigan-issued document
- Accept it as satisfactory evidence of identity if it contains a photo (Correct answer)
- Require two forms of out-of-state identification
- Only accept it if the signer has been a Michigan resident for less than 90 days
Correct answer: Accept it as satisfactory evidence of identity if it contains a photo
A current, government-issued photo ID from another U.S. state is acceptable as satisfactory evidence of identity under Michigan notary standards.
Question 6: Which factors are MOST critical when evaluating whether an identification document is acceptable for notarization in Michigan?
- The color, design, and holographic features of the ID
- Whether the ID contains the signer's current residential address
- That the ID is government-issued, currently valid, and contains a photograph (Correct answer)
- The age category of the signer as shown on the document
Correct answer: That the ID is government-issued, currently valid, and contains a photograph
The most critical factors for acceptable identification are that it is government-issued, currently valid, and contains the signer's photograph for visual comparison.
Question 7: A notary notices the signer's name on the document differs slightly from the name on the presented ID (e.g., 'Robert' on the ID vs. 'Bob' on the document). What should the notary do?
- Proceed without question as long as the photo matches the signer's appearance
- Refuse the notarization without any exception
- Use judgment to determine if the discrepancy is minor and note it appropriately if proceeding (Correct answer)
- Require the signer to obtain a new ID matching the document name exactly
Correct answer: Use judgment to determine if the discrepancy is minor and note it appropriately if proceeding
Minor name variations (such as a common nickname) may be addressed by noting the discrepancy in the certificate or journal, while significant differences warrant refusal.
MI Notary Signer Identification and Credentialing 2
What is the PRIMARY purpose of verifying a signer's identity before performing a notarial act in Michigan?