What should notaries always verify before the notarization process?

Notaries are responsible for ensuring that the individuals appearing before them are who they claim to be. This is fundamental to the notarization process, as it helps prevent fraud and maintains the integrity of legal documents. By verifying the authenticity and validity of the identification, notaries can confirm the identity of the signers, which is a crucial step in legitimate notarization.

Ensuring that the identification is valid involves checking that it meets specific criteria, such as being government-issued, containing a photograph, and matching the signer’s details with the information on the document being notarized. This verification process is essential to uphold the notary’s legal obligations and protect all parties involved.

While examining backgrounds, intentions, and authorized fees are important in other contexts, they do not have the same direct correlation to the notary’s primary role, which revolves around confirming identities and validating signers’ credentials to proceed with legal transactions.