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Notary Bulletin

Do I Need To Include The Driver’s License Number In My Notary Journal?

By NNA Staff on February 21, 2018

New Hotline Resized 3Should my Notary journal entry contain the driver’s license number or should I just record the type of ID used to identify the person? — S.T., South Carolina

The South Carolina Notary Public Reference Manual provides direction for entering this information: “The manner in which the signer was identified.” Simply entering a description such as: “Personally known to me”, or “SC Driver’s License”, “Mexico Passport” or “oath of credible witness”, may be sufficient.

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

 

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6 Comments

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Jack Crawford

26 Feb 2018

As a CA notary I always record the DL or passport number in my journal along with the signer's name and address. Since we are such a mobile society the address info is often out of date. I normally enter the address that appears on the DL unless the signer calls my attention to the change of address. Does it matter which address is recorded?

National Notary Association

01 Mar 2018

Hello. California does not require Notaries to record the signer's address in the journal entry. For the full list of required information that must be entered, please see here: https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2017/04/notary-guide-completing-journal-entries

Donald Wilkins

27 Feb 2018

I am disappointed with the response. Normally, NNA answers the question (as was done), and then gives a quick tutorial that covers other states. I was looking for the tutorial since I am not in South Carolina.

Betty

03 Mar 2018

There is a column in your NNA journal for the location of the notarization. If it differs from a signer's DL, or if the signer uses another form of ID that doesn't have the same address I also record the location address. Sometimes signers will come to my husband's law office to sign and I write That down as the location address. I have also had spouse's whose DL address was different from their home address where I witnessed their signing and I take time to record that, too. And, of course, there are the signings that take place in a restaurant, which IS the location in which you witness. The attorneys I work with tell me that a borrower/signer can sign every page of their loan documents or other witnessed documents in the State of Illinois and not be wrong. You cannot be too thorough, since your journal could be called upon to be evidence in a court of law.

Rebecca S W.

31 Oct 2018

In Minnesota I just had a legal document Notarized and it concerns me that the Notary put my Drivers License Number on the document. Should not he of Journaled it rather then to write it on all my legal documents. I feel he has made me a target as per the subject of the document.

National Notary Association

01 Nov 2018

Hello. We can't comment on the specific details of your transaction without more information, but we can tell you that writing a signer's driver's license number on a document is not a normal part of the notarization process in Minnesota. If you would like to discuss your situation further with one of our Hotline Counselors, you can contact them at 1-888-876-0827. If you aren't a NNA member, you may still make a one-time courtesy call.

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