Indiana Notary Public Practice Exam

Which of the following could potentially result in notary civil liability?

1. Failing to charge a fee for notarization

2. Incorrectly verifying a signer's identity

3. Not responding to customer inquiries

4. Notarizing a document with minor mistakes

The correct answer is: Incorrectly verifying a signer's identity

The act of incorrectly verifying a signer's identity is crucial for a notary public. Notaries have a responsibility to ensure that they are witnessing the signing of documents by the correct individuals. Failing to accurately verify a signer's identity can lead to the notarization of fraudulent documents or unauthorized signings, which can result in civil liability for the notary. This liability arises from the potential damages incurred by individuals or entities relying on the integrity of the notarized document. Notaries are expected to follow strict identity verification procedures to safeguard against these risks. Failing to charge a fee for notarization may impact the notary’s ability to be compensated, but it typically does not expose the notary to civil liability in the way that identity verification does. Similarly, not responding to customer inquiries or notarizing documents with minor mistakes could be seen as poor service or oversight, but these actions do not carry the same direct risk of legal consequences as failing to verify a signer's identity accurately.