The Notary Hotline receives hundreds of calls daily from Notaries nationwide who find themselves in challenging situations. To boost your knowledge of Notary standards of practice, we’ve created a series of scenarios based on actual situations and ask a simple question: What would you do?
In this scenario, a man and woman come to you needing the woman’s signature notarized. The woman is wearing a head covering that prevents you from seeing her face. But she presents you with a state-issued driver’s license that shows a photo without the head covering.
You politely ask if she would show you her face, but she explains that it is against her religious beliefs.
What would you do?
Members of the NNA community frequently share accounts of encountering challenging, dubious or bizarre situations, and it is not always clear how they should respond.
This scenario presents a challenge because, as a Notary, you are expected to render your services impartially, and you want to be respectful of each signer’s personal beliefs. At the same time, you have a duty to verify the signer’s identity. So how do you verify this woman’s identity while respecting her beliefs?
To participate in this week’s “What Would You Do?” scenario, share your answers in the comments section below. We may mention your response in next week’s Bulletin, when we offer the best possible answer(s) to this notarial challenge.
Related Articles:
Bank Notary accused of refusing request from atheist
What Would You Do? Answers to the case of the transgender signer
Additional Resources:
NNA Webinar: How to ID in a Multi-Cultural World