NM Notary Proper Identification and Procedures 3

Question 1

A signer presents a tribal identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe. May a New Mexico notary accept it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if it is issued by a government and contains the required identifying features

Answer

Government-issued IDs, including tribal identification cards with a photograph or signature, satisfy New Mexico's identification requirements.

Question 2

What is the key procedural difference between a jurat (verification on oath) and an acknowledgment?

Accepted Answer

A jurat requires the signer to sign in the notary's presence and swear the contents are true

Answer

For a jurat the signer must sign before the notary and take an oath or affirmation that the statements are true, while an acknowledgment only confirms a signature.

Question 3

A regular customer the notary has served twice at a bank asks to be identified by personal knowledge. Is this sufficient?

Accepted Answer

No, brief business transactions generally do not create reasonable certainty of identity

Answer

Personal knowledge demands dealings over time sufficient for reasonable certainty, which a couple of brief transactions typically do not provide.

Question 4

A credible witness is used to identify a signer. Which requirement applies to the witness?

Accepted Answer

The witness must be personally known to the notary or present acceptable identification

Answer

The credible witness must either be personally known to the notary or verified through acceptable identification before swearing to the signer's identity.

Question 5

During a signing, the notary notices the signer cannot answer basic questions about the document and seems disoriented. What should the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to perform the notarization because the signer may lack competence

Answer

A notary must be satisfied the signer understands the transaction and acts willingly, and should refuse if competence is in doubt.

(NM Notary) New Mexico Notary Exam Practice Test

(NM Notary) New Mexico Notary Exam Practice Test

NM Notary Proper Identification and Procedures 3