As a PA notary, Government issued IDs used for identifying the signer can not be expired, even by a day. This is the most used acceptable form of identification by PA notaries. Credible witness and Personal Knowledge also allowed but not used very much.
Most clients are strangers to us.
I have too often had, mostly elderly folks, present me w/ expired ID, thereby cancelling our appointment. I learned to ask on the initial phone inquiry if they have ‘current ID’ which saves a lot of disappointment at our meeting.
Most times it happens as a result of no longer driving, nor traveling and allowing their driver licenses and passports to expire.The resulting dilemma being the inability of these folks to be able to go to a nearby PenDot office, with their photo card (having done the renewal process online hopefully w/ the assistance of a family member/friend) and having a photo taken and leaving with a new, up to date, ID.
The reasons are SO many that people can’t travel to PenDot. My most recent request was from a son who needed documents from his mother’s investment firm signed/notarized. She is in Hospice in a senior retirement community. She is NOT getting to a PenDot office. She has an expired US Passport (2020) and driver license (2022). They are stuck.
I’ve come across TOO many people who have this problem for many reasons. They are immobile, bedridden, in the hospital/hospice, have no resources to drive them to PenDot, etc. etc.
The Bottom Line: In PA, w/o current ID, a notary can not notarize their documents and the process is aborted-sometimes permanently. Not fair to them. There needs to be a solution.
I have recently contacted my State Senator, Tim Kearney, and my House Rep, Jennifer O’Mara, and our Secretary of State, Al Schmidt, regarding this issue. I have proposed these suggestions and want to share them with you.
The first and best being, a mobile PenDot unit that, with scheduled appointments, can go to the folks needing updated ID and get a new ID that way. This could start out going to senior living communities, allowing more people to get this done at one time. It could evolve from there.
Another suggestion is to expand the definition of ‘acceptable ID’ and encourage senior communities to create an ID, upon Admission, that includes a picture, signature, description. This is a start to finding another way to accurately ID a signer. This does not help those not living in these communities, but would be a beneficial solution for many.
This is a ‘band-aid’ approach, but would be helpful:
Allowing for a ‘grace period’ after the expiration date to allow for the ID to be acceptable. I suggest not a very long ‘grace period’, like 12-18 months. People change and pictures are worth a thousand words. This is why I disagree w/ Ms O’Mara’s proposed bill to use ‘old’ ID pics on new ID’s. If the picture no longer resembles the person in front of the notary- how can we be assured it is the same person? This opens up an avenue to fraud and puts potential accountability on the notary.
Education and Awareness are imperative to resolving this issue. Having speakers address this at senior community Open Houses, Senior Fairs, etc. are ways to remind folks of the importance of keeping your ID up to date.
PA NOTARIES: Will you join me in creating a solution to this ongoing problem and write your state lawmakers and our Secretary of State? Will you back me in identifying this ongoing issue we are faced with on a regular basis and suggest some solutions? Will you be the Advocate for this group of people needing a resolution to their dilemma?
I hope so!