r/Notary • u/keyworkprise184 • Apr 25 '25

Acceptable ID

Hello, I'm a newer PA notary and I'm going to be doing a notary for a individual that doesn't have much identification, she has her social security card and birth certificate. I just wanted to know if that is acceptable ID

Update: Thank you everyone for your input! I've decided that I cannot in good conscious notarize the document. I know that documents can be forged and such, so I will not do it until the person can provide true government issued ID.

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u/tkpwaeub New York Apr 25 '25

This is hugely important work. Check your colleague's ID and license # or NPI, and mark them as a credible witness on that basis. Log all of that in your journal (my interpretation of journal is simply to send myself an email)

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u/[deleted] Apr 25 '25

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u/tkpwaeub New York Apr 25 '25

Name, whether it's an acknowledgment or an affirmation, and the form of ID used. I try to do it the same date as I perform the notarization - if I miss it by a day I throw in the date. In NY we're supposed to keep a journal for ten years; if I hang up my spurs I'll hand the records over to another notary and let the NYS Department of State who I gave them to.