The Danger of Cutting Corners: Why Connecticut’s Two-ID Rule Matters
When “Doing It Right” Matters: Why I Won’t Cut Corners on Identification
Recently, I had a potential client who needed a traveling notary in Darien. She booked an appointment with me, but when I explained Connecticut’s identification requirements, she questioned why I required more than a single driver’s license.
I understood her confusion. She explained that previous notaries who had come to her workplace had only asked her for one form of identification.
Rather than simply telling her, “That’s my policy,” I pointed her directly to the official Connecticut resources, including the Connecticut Notary Public Manual and the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s website. My goal was to show her that my identification requirements are not something I created on my own—they are based on Connecticut’s notarial requirements.
Unfortunately, she was not comfortable with the requirements and ultimately canceled the appointment and chose another notary.
I lost the appointment.
But I didn’t lose sight of why I became a notary in the first place.
The Risk of Taking the “Easy” Route
As a mobile notary, I know that notarial requirements can sometimes feel inconvenient. Clients may be busy. They may be at work, preparing for a real estate closing, signing estate documents, handling a power of attorney, or dealing with another time-sensitive matter.
The temptation to say, “The last notary accepted this, so I will too,” can be very real.
But that isn't how professional notarial practice should work.
A notary's responsibility isn't to make the process as easy as possible at the expense of proper procedure. It is to follow the requirements that apply to the notarial act and properly establish the identity of the person signing.
Connecticut's Secretary of the State explains that satisfactory evidence of identity generally requires specific forms of identification when the signer is not personally known to the notary. The state's manual also explains that certain identification documents do not qualify and outlines an alternative involving a properly qualified credible witness.
That means another notary's past practice doesn't determine what I can or cannot accept today.
“But another notary did it” is not a substitute for following Connecticut's requirements.
Why Identification Matters
Notarization is much more than simply placing a stamp on a document.
One of the fundamental purposes of notarization is to help establish that the person appearing before the notary is actually the person identified in the document and is participating in the transaction appropriately.
That matters when the document involves something significant—such as:
Powers of attorney
Real estate and property documents
Deeds and title transfers
Trusts
Estate documents
Financial agreements
Medical directives
Business documents
These aren't documents where you want a notary thinking, “Close enough.”
You want the person handling your notarization to be paying attention to the details.
Protecting Your Documents—and Your Peace of Mind
As a mobile notary public, my priority is to provide a professional, careful, and compliant notarization from start to finish.
That sometimes means telling a client something they don't want to hear.
It might mean asking for an additional form of identification.
It might mean explaining why a particular document cannot be accepted.
It might mean refusing to proceed until an identification issue is resolved.
And occasionally, it might mean losing an appointment.
I would rather lose a booking than knowingly disregard a requirement simply because doing so would make the appointment easier.
Doing things correctly may take a few extra minutes today, but those minutes are part of the service you're paying for.
When you hire a notary, you're not simply paying someone to stamp and sign a document. You're hiring someone to carefully perform a formal notarial act, follow the applicable requirements, and take the process seriously.
You're paying for accuracy.
You're paying for security.
And you're paying for peace of mind.
A Quick Reminder Before Your Notary Appointment
If you have an upcoming notarization in Connecticut, don't wait until the notary arrives to find out whether you have the identification required for your appointment.
Ask your notary in advance what identification will be needed and whether there are any special circumstances that could affect the notarization.
And if your notarization involves an important legal document, such as a will, power of attorney, trust, deed, or other legal agreement, consult the appropriate attorney regarding the document itself. A notary can perform the notarial act but cannot provide legal advice about your document.
At Christine Vaughn Mobile Notary Public & LSA, I take the responsibility of notarizing your documents seriously. I serve clients throughout Fairfield County and beyond, bringing professional mobile notary service to homes, offices, and other convenient locations.
I may not always be the notary who takes the shortcut.
I will be the notary who takes the responsibility seriously.
