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Skip identity verification if notary personally knows signer

  • Updated

Most states allow notaries to use their personal knowledge of a signer as an identity verification method. This allows allowing signers to bypass knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis and reduces their pre-meeting time.

If the notary personally knows the signer, they can use the personally known to notary (PKN) method of identity verification to skip knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis. 

Who can use this

Any user in your organization who can create and send transactions and notaries sourcing transactions (NSTs) can perform the steps below.

This feature must be enabled by Proof. If you're interested in this feature, contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) or contact our sales team.

Who can notarize these transactions

Notaries sourcing transactions (NSTs) and in-house notaries (IHNs) can perform notarizations using personally known to notary. 

The notary determines if their relationship with the signer allows them to feel comfortable identifying the signer as the person named in the document.

How it works

Personally known to notary:

  • Can only be used for transactions that require one signer.
  • Is only available to in-house notaries and notaries sourcing transactions, not on-demand notaries.
  • Cannot be used with overflow to the Notarize Network.

Signers personally known to the notary do not need a U.S. Social Security number or address, however, the notary must still take a photo of the signer's ID as additional assurance of their identity. 

A transaction cannot be switched to PKN after it is created. If you want to change the identification method after a transaction is sent, you can Recall a real estate transaction or Edit a business transaction.

Review the guidelines for your state for additional information. 

Create a transaction with personally known to notary

This option appears whenever a single signer transaction is created.

To use this identity verification method for a specific transaction:

  1. Check the box next to Personally known to notary to use this for a specific transaction.

personally known to notary check box pkn.jpg

During the meeting

When the call begins, the platform will ask the notary if they personally know the signer. 

  • If yes, they can click Yes, Continue to Meeting to proceed with the transaction.
  • If not, they click No, end meeting and the transaction is canceled. 

personally known notary pkn confirmation confirm modal.jpg

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