Aug 15, 20182 min read

Notary Team Do's and Don'ts

A Texas Notary Public has the authority to notarize:

Identification Requirements:

Driver's License (states other than Texas may be used)
ID Card
Military ID
Passport
Personally Known Affidavit - identity verification involves a credible witness, someone whom the notary public already personally knows and who also personally knows the document signer. The credible witness has to appear with the signer at the time that the document is being notarized. It is considered a best practice (or may be required by law) that the notary administer an oath or affirmation to the credible witness and that the witness sign an affidavit stating that he or she verifies the identity of the document signer.

Unacceptable forms of ID:

Social Security card
birth certificate
wedding license
credit cards are NOT acceptable as a form of I.D., as they lack sufficient information for the notary to determine if the person presenting them is the person whose name appears on them.

Notary Team CAN NOT:

Change, alter, or draft any instrument to be notarized (by law)
Determine which type of notarial certificate should be attached to a document that does not contain one
Perform a notarial act on a military base that a federal enclave or an Indian reservation
Refuse a request for notarial services on the basis of the sex, age, religion, race, ethnicity or national origin of the requesting party