Ohio Notary Practice Exam

What action involves verifying the identity of the signer?

1. Acknowledgment

2. Jurats

3. Taking Oaths

4. Certifying signatures

The correct answer is: Acknowledgment

The correct answer is acknowledgment. Acknowledgment is a notarization process where the notary verifies the identity of the signer, usually through a government-issued identification, and ensures that the signer is willingly signing the document. During this process, the signer declares that they understand the contents of the document and are executing it voluntarily, which necessitates that the notary confirm their identity before proceeding. Jurats involve administering an oath or affirmation and require the signer to swear to the truthfulness of the contents of the document, but the focus is not solely on verifying identity. Taking oaths pertains specifically to the act of the signer pledging to uphold the truth, often used in legal settings, without necessarily emphasizing identity verification. Certifying signatures involves the notary affirming that a signature is genuine, but this does not always include the broader verification of the signer’s identity. Therefore, acknowledgment clearly highlights the notary's role in confirming the identity of the signer as an essential part of the process.