RI Notary Identification and Verification 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Rhode Island law, which of the following is an acceptable method for a notary to identify a signer?
- Personal knowledge of the individual (Correct answer)
- A verbal statement from the signer's coworker
- A business card with the signer's name
- A utility bill without a photograph
Correct answer: Personal knowledge of the individual
Rhode Island permits identification through personal knowledge, satisfactory identification documents, or a credible witness.
Question 2: A signer presents a driver's license that expired two years ago. What should a Rhode Island notary generally do?
- Accept it because it still has a photo
- Decline it and request current, valid identification (Correct answer)
- Accept it if the signer also provides a credit card
- Accept it only for real estate documents
Correct answer: Decline it and request current, valid identification
An expired identification document is generally not satisfactory evidence of identity, so the notary should request current, valid ID.
Question 3: What is a 'credible witness' in the context of notarial identification?
- Any adult present at the signing
- A person known to the notary who verifies the signer's identity (Correct answer)
- A licensed attorney reviewing the document
- An employee of the notary's company
Correct answer: A person known to the notary who verifies the signer's identity
A credible witness is an individual, personally known to the notary, who swears to or affirms the identity of the signer.
Question 4: Which document would generally NOT qualify as satisfactory identification for notarization in Rhode Island?
- A current U.S. passport
- A current state-issued driver's license
- A Social Security card (Correct answer)
- A current U.S. military ID with photo
Correct answer: A Social Security card
A Social Security card lacks a photograph, physical description, and signature, so it is not satisfactory identification on its own.
Question 5: A signer's name on the document reads 'Jonathan A. Smith,' but his ID reads 'Jon Smith.' What is the notary's best course of action?
- Refuse notarization outright with no alternatives
- Proceed only if the notary can reasonably verify the signer's identity, or request additional acceptable proof (Correct answer)
- Notarize and alter the document name to match the ID
- Have the signer initial next to the ID name
Correct answer: Proceed only if the notary can reasonably verify the signer's identity, or request additional acceptable proof
The notary must be reasonably certain of identity, which may require additional identification or a credible witness before proceeding.
Question 6: Why must a notary verify a signer's identity before performing an acknowledgment?
- To confirm the document's legal enforceability
- To ensure the person acknowledging the signature is who they claim to be (Correct answer)
- To determine the signer's mental competence only
- To validate the accuracy of the document's contents
Correct answer: To ensure the person acknowledging the signature is who they claim to be
Identity verification ensures the acknowledgment is made by the actual named signer, protecting against fraud and impersonation.
Question 7: A person presents an ID whose photo does not resemble them and whose signature looks different from the one they provide. The notary should:
- Notarize anyway because the ID is government-issued
- Refuse to notarize until identity can be satisfactorily established (Correct answer)
- Ask the person to sign three more times for comparison and then proceed
- Notarize but note the discrepancy privately
Correct answer: Refuse to notarize until identity can be satisfactorily established
When the notary cannot reasonably confirm identity, the notarization must be refused until satisfactory evidence is provided.
RI Notary Identification and Verification 2
Under Rhode Island law, which of the following is an acceptable method for a notary to identify a signer?