Many states like, California, Florida, and Pennsylvania, require signers to present actual identification documents, not copies, for notarization. California law specifies that a Notary can accept a driver’s license or ID card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, which must be the actual document. Temporary driver’s licenses in California do not meet this requirement.
Copies, whether photocopies or photos on mobile devices, are susceptible to tampering and forgery, increasing the risk of fraud in notarizations. Digital editing tools make altering these copies easy.
Official state or federal-issued IDs have security features, like holograms and raised prints, that help Notaries verify their authenticity, copies lack these. Copies often show only one side of the ID, missing additional security features on the back. Not examining both sides increases the risk of fraud, which can lead to penalties or lawsuits for the Notary if the notarized document is used fraudulently.
Three states California, Florida, and Tennessee require Notaries to exercise reasonable care on the IDs presented to verify a signer’s identity, and accept only the forms of identification listed in the statute, no copies. California and Tennessee, Notaries who comply with this requirement are presumed to have acted in accordance with the law, providing them with a “safe harbor” from liability.
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