Ace the Illinois Notary Primer 2026 – Your Journey to Notary Stardom Starts Here!

A notary public is required to verify the identity of the person signing a document to ensure that they are who they claim to be. Valid identification is essential because it helps prevent fraud and ensures that the notarial act is being performed with an appropriate level of assurance regarding the signer's identity. If a signer cannot provide valid identification, the notary faces a situation where they cannot fulfill their duty of verifying the signer's identity effectively. This lack of identification directly violates the legal and ethical standards required for notarization, prompting the notary to refuse service in such instances.

In contrast, while being underage may pose challenges regarding the capacity to consent, it does not automatically prevent notarization. A lengthy document also does not serve as a valid reason for a notary to refuse service; they can notarize long documents as long as they follow the required procedures and identify the signer correctly. Similarly, the feeling of unqualification could lead to a notary declining to perform a notarization to ensure due diligence, but the primary legal requirement revolves around confirming the identity of the signer through valid identification.