MT Notary - Montana Notary Identifying Signers and Credibility Questions and Answers

Question 1

A signer appears before a Montana notary without any acceptable identification.
The signer's spouse, who is also present, offers to serve as a credible witness.
The notary personally knows the spouse.
Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the notary to take?

Accepted Answer

Administer an oath to the spouse, have them sign the journal as a credible witness, and then complete the notarization for the signer.

Answer

Refuse to use the spouse as a credible witness because they are likely an interested party in the transaction.

Answer

Allow the spouse to act as a witness only if they present two forms of their own government-issued ID.

Answer

Proceed with the notarization as long as the spouse's name is not mentioned anywhere in the document being signed.

Question 2

An individual presents a document for notarization and offers a valid, unexpired U.S. Military ID as proof of identity. The ID contains a photo and a signature. According to Montana law, how should the notary proceed?

Accepted Answer

Accept the military ID as satisfactory evidence of identity and proceed with the notarization.

Answer

Ask for a secondary form of ID because a military ID is not sufficient on its own.

Answer

Reject the ID and request a state-issued driver's license or ID card instead.

Answer

Accept the ID only if the document being notarized is for military purposes.

Question 3

Which of the following best defines "personal knowledge" as a method for a Montana notary to identify a signer?

Accepted Answer

Having an acquaintance with the individual through dealings over time sufficient to provide reasonable certainty of their identity.

Answer

Having been formally introduced to the signer by a trusted colleague immediately before the notarization.

Answer

Recognizing the signer from seeing them frequently in the same office building.

Answer

Verifying the signer's identity online through a social media profile that matches their appearance.

Question 4

A signer presents a Montana driver's license that expired one week ago. The photo is a clear likeness of the individual. What is the correct action for the Montana notary?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to accept the expired license and request a current, valid form of identification.

Answer

Accept the license since the expiration was recent and the photo matches.

Answer

Make a note in the journal that the ID was recently expired and proceed.

Answer

Have the signer take an oath affirming their identity to supplement the expired ID.

Question 5

A notary is asked to notarize a signature for an elderly man who seems confused about the document's content and appears to be under pressure from a family member who is present. The notary's primary responsibility in this situation is to:

Accepted Answer

Refuse to perform the notarization until the notary is confident the signer is aware, willing, and not under coercion.

Answer

Verify the signer's identity with a valid ID and proceed, as the document's content is not the notary's concern.

Answer

Ask the family member to explain the document to the signer to ensure understanding.

Answer

Notarize the signature but add a detailed note in the journal about the signer's apparent confusion and the family member's presence.

Question 6

When identifying a signer in Montana, which of the following is NOT an acceptable method?

Accepted Answer

Presentation of a valid birth certificate combined with a signed credit card.

Answer

Personal knowledge of the signer.

Answer

Presentation of a current, government-issued ID with a photograph.

Answer

The sworn testimony of a single credible witness who is personally known to the notary.