Personal Knowledge By The Notary Public
The mobile notary public can choose to identify you by personal knowledge if they have prior knowledge of who you are. Usually this means they know you from your personal or business life and would feel comfortable vouching for who you are.
Government Issued Photo ID
The easiest way to prove your identity to a notary public in Minnesota is to have a government issued photo ID. This ID must have your name, photo, and signature on it such as a drivers license, state ID card, or passport. The ID does need to be current and valid so please check the expiration date prior to your appointment. If your drivers license is “punched” then you will need to have the papers that accompany it.
Other Government Issued ID
If you don’t have an ID that is valid from the above list there are other options that may work in MN. You can have another form of government ID that has either a photo or signature and is currently valid. The notary public can determine if it is acceptable to them. In cases like this I will most likely ask for additional documentation as is allowed by State of Minnesota statutes.
Something that is often overlooked as part of this requirement is that the government ID does need to have either a photo of you or a signature. People often supply a letter from a government agency or a judge thinking this will satisfy the requirement. Those usually don’t have the signers name or signature on them though. These items can be used as additional documentation when that is requested.
What If You Don’t Have An Acceptable ID?
You do have the option of finding someone to act as a credible witness to vouch for you. This person would need to identify themselves to the notary public using the same ID requirements above. They would then be given an oath swearing to your identity. One minor variation to this is that MN state statutes do say the credible witness’ ID cannot be more than three years past the expiration date.
A Caution If You Are Signing Real Estate Documents
When you sign real estate documents with a lender and/or a title company involved there will be an additional step if you don’t have a government issued ID. Many lenders want to know how a signer is being identified and have their own minimum requirements. So even though you may have a credible witness to swear that you are who you say you are your lender may not approve of that. So always check your ID prior to your closing and notify your notary or title company of any potential issues ahead of time.
A Mobile Notary Can Make Life Simpler
I love traveling to my clients to help them with their notarizations. I serve the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area with a heavy focus on the south metro suburbs of Lakeville, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Rosemount, and Savage. If you have any questions about acceptable IDs or your notarization needs please give me a call at 612-421-2230.
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