Hello dear fellow notaries!
Has anybody done a notarization in Moshannon Valley Correctional Center in Phillisburg PA?
In inmate needs a notary, no iDs on hand.
I have emailed to the visitor scheduling department, no answer yet.
Do they offer a credible witness there?
Would inmate’s card work for identification? It’s a government issued ID with his picture and his name on it.
If you have had an experience there, how long does all the process take?
Thank you all in advance for all your thoughts and advices !!!
Hi! I have not done a notarization at that Jail; however have done jail notarization. The customers family member met with me to provide me their DL. You can ask your client if they have a family member holding onto their ID/DL {That has been issued within your states timeframe} As for accepting Inmate card, dbl check your states list of approved Identifications.
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Your Pennsylvania rules state:
" A notarial public has “satisfactory evidence” of the identity of an individual appearing before the notary if the notary can identify the individual using any of the following:
Government-issued identification:
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A passport, driver’s license or government-issued nondriver identification card, which is current and unexpired.
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Another form of government identification issued to an individual, which:
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is current;
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contains the signature or a photograph of the individual; and
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is satisfactory to the notary public."
Always refer back to your state’s rules. A valid prison-issued photo I.D. is a government issued nondriver identification card.
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Thank you for your reply. It was very helpful. A spouse of the inmate does have his ID but she is not able to meet me as she is far away. We are still working on it though. I just was not sure if I could accept the ID from someone else. I also was wondering if an inmate card could be accepted as an ID. Because it was issued by a government, it has a picture and a name on it.
Thank you. We are trying to find out if that inmate card is in his possession. I’m also pretty sure the guards can be credible witnesses.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your help!
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I’m curious…if inmate has ID, why do you need credible witnesses?
His ID is not with him. His family has it but they are far away.
He does have an inmate card with his picture and his name in it , and it is a government issued inmate card, it’s kind of his id for now but there is not his signature in that card, so I’m not sure if I could use it.
Credible witness is very common for notarizations in prisons. At least it’s what I’ve learned. But not all prisons offer this.
I’ve sent them a visit request along with all my questions but have not heard back yet.
Well, you can’t necessarily use a CW either… from PAN
The Pennsylvania Notary Public Law states that a credible witness is someone who testifies under oath or affirmation to the identity of your customer. If your customer is not personally known to you and cannot provide you with an acceptable identification, then you may rely on the testimony of a third person known as a credible witness.
But here is the catch - you, the notary, must personally know the credible witness, who in turn, must personally know your customer.
I would suggest you contact your SOS
I think the credible witness in prisons has exceptions from those rules.
I have sent a question to Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, but my previous experience with them shows that they never give straight answers.
If I’m not able to use his inmate card and a credible witness who I personally don’t know, then that poor guy in prison is not able to sign the document which limits his civil rights.
And that document plays an important role on whether or not he will stay in that prison and for how long.
Most of prisoners don’t have passports and driver licenses with them there. But they still have a right to notarize petitions and other documents.
I’m sure there is a way to do it.
You need to ask your SOS, not the PA Ass’n of Realtors … They have no standing in this matter.
I use their jail ID because it has their picture on it and it is gov’t issued. Most times a relative is present to verify as well. I watch them sign the document and notarize their signature.
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Right.
They will invite the client by name, is not it a proof that it’s him. Of course not. Just kidding.
I’ve done county jail and even a few in federal prison notarizations for decades. Have any of you doing jail notarizations in my area ever wondered why the jail clerk wants to see your notary stamp? Well, that was my idea. The clerk checks the expiration date to ensure it’s valid. Inmates are required to wear wristbands with their picture booking number and date of birth. It’s up to you to check that ID before you notarize the document. You are forbidden to leave with or accept anything from an inmate.
You need to talk to the prison. Many only use a list of approved notaries. I had an appointment arranged at one and they moved the inmate a day early!!
Keep in mind you may only be able to have your book, your stamp and the refil for a pen. No purse, no cell phones, etc. You could also get cought in a lockdown. They happen a lot and you could spend hours in a room alone!!
Oh wow. I hope there won’t be any lockdowns there.
I’ve made an appointment through their scheduling system and my visit was confirmed.
I would love if he could use the local notary there in prison. It’s a long drive for me.
But the client speaks my language and the documents are in our native language, and i have to drive all the way to the Apostille, and then ship the docs with an express. That is a lot of driving , but we could not find any notary close by, and , of course, the time of the essence, so I could not say no.
Thank you for the hands up. I will make sure I don’t carry anything with me. I’m just not sure what the pen refill means. Do I have to pull the insider of the pen and not the whole pen would be allowed?
You may want the type of pen that uses refills. You want one with the plastic, not metal refill. Check with home depot. Ask the prison what they allow. Regular pens can be used as weapons.
The pen discussion is laughable. A deputy will be there watching/protecting you while the inmate signs. Document, journal, pen, thumb inker if required. It generally goes like this: Acknowledge the deputy, show him your pen. Have the signer state his or her name, then check their wristband. Watch them sign with your pen, retrieve the pen and the document, thank the deputy, and leave. In some county jails, the deputy will accompany you to the professional area, leave you there, and bring the signer up, watch the signing, then bring the inmate back to where they’re holding them, return and accompany you back to the clerks desk so you can retrieve your driver’s license.
They asked me to use only the refil. The man had been arrested for murder. Other prisons may have different rules.
Thank you ALL who helped me to prepare for this assignment. I really appreciate all of you!!!
The notarization was done yesterday, everything went great, all your advices were helpful and correct.
I just want to add one more advice for you should you ever go to a jail: if you are somebody who wears bras, make sure it’s wireless!!!
They made me to take it off right there at the security checkout.
They also explained to me that they don’t feel comfortable to make this request but sometimes they make people to take the wigs off also. I don’t wear the wigs, but I was asked to take the bra off because it was wired. 
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@mila_parealtor Thank You 
for sharing your direct experience with this type of signing.
Couldn’t have predicted that one! 
