I would not give them my ID as that is not required, but I would give them my business card. I would also tell them they can either provide a hard copy of their id’s for the title company’s package or they can send it by email to the escrow officer like many others have suggested here. Many lenders and title companies do not want the notary to collect copies, but there are still some asking for notaries to do that. I think they should not ask us to do that, and I’m not sure why some still do?
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Thank you - after receiving all this great advice, in the future, I’ll give them 2 choices: 1.) provide a photocopy of ID to include w/ the overnight docs or 2.) they can email the ID to Title. I’m new to this so I’m learning that I need to give better guidelines to the signers and not let them control how the signing goes. And definitely not give them my ID at all, but show them my Business card and NNA card. Thanks again!
In today’s environment of ID theft, I consider it a healthy step for folks to be reluctant to show their IDs. I run into this in my other business, but explain that I’m being held to a higher standard to protect them against ID theft and Tax Fraud.
I did have a signer demand to see my “badge”. I pulled out my ‘retired’ credentials when worked for a major Police Department.
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Absolutely no reason to give clients your information.
As a matter of fact the signing company has already sent the clients your ID picture that you have on the platform.
I will never do that.
The notary and the clients are 
No, the signing company does not have my ID picture as I’ve never given them one.
Also, please clarify your comment, “The notary and the clients are Red Flags.” Are you saying that I’m a red flag???
Honestly yes ma’am.
All that you done to gain their trust
Was not in your instructions.
You had no reason to show your DL, neither a client take your pic.
I’m very sure they had security inside the home.
If they refuse any type of ID requested.
Then call that signing company or the lender to make them aware of their refusal
Definitely leave.
Situation as such will backfire on you
lmao I a deceased. they don’t realize we work for ourselves . if only you’d had a kids plastic police badge with you …which gives me an idea …excuse me I have to go to the toy store 
With all due respect, I don’t think you know what a red flag is for. It is to warn someone about something or someone. How is the act of showing the signers my DL a “red flag” to anyone other than myself? I’m the only one that could be hurt by it. BTW, as I said before, I never gave her permission to take a photo of my DL.
You wrote, “All that you done to gain their trust was not in your instructions.” Well I followed all the instructions and I followed my state’s laws. Nowhere in the instructions nor laws said it was illegal or wrong to show my DL - that’s what you’d call a “judgment call” and I am free to make judgment calls as it is my commission. My only question on this post was, “Is this normal for signers to take a photo of the notary’s DL” - that’s all. It was not meant to illicit rude comments or calling someone a “red flag.” I’m really surprised that some notaries on this platform get down and dirty or bossy or jump up on their moral high ground. If you would like to comment to someone’s post, be informative and be kind - that’s all you have to do. Apparently that’s difficult for some to do. BE INFORMATIVE. BE KIND.
You can use AdobeScan to scan with your phone and it’s safer that way.
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Dear,
THAT IS A NO-NO IN OUR BUSINESS!
You are permitted to take a photo of THEIR DL’s. Every loan signing I have done, and I do mean EVERY SINGLE ONE has been conducted under the pretense of identification being readily available for the NSA to submit to the title/loan/bank to assure we are dealing with the right homeowners/borrowers.
Your identification on the other-hand is NOT to be photocopied. The title companies/banks etc. has already made it clear to the borrowers that you will PRESENT your identification for security purposes with no stipulation to COPY your identification by any means.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER! Protect yourself at all costs. You’ve been entrusted with sensitive information yes, but your identification is not to be placed in the hands of anyone whatsoever. If any signing service require that of you, do not accept that assignment.
The average signing fee we charge as NSAs nationwide is between $190-$215. Having your information in the hands of a “borrower?” Identity theft can cost you EVERYTHING and ‘everything’ is way more than our fees in one sitting!
Protect yourself.
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If a signer insisted on copying my ID, I’d explain as follows:
“Suppose someone steals my identity. When I report it to the police, they will ask who had access to my personal information. I would have to tell them that you copied my ID. Then they would investigate you as possibly being the criminal who stole my identity. It’s safer for you to not have a copy of my ID.”
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But on the other hand, by the notary taking of photo of signer’s ID with their phone, the reverse is also true. It’s safer for the signers that the notary NOT take a photo of the ID with their phone. Which is why everyone should insist signers without copies to provide as required handle it directly with title/escrow/lender. Stay out of the middle.
JMO
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Thank you for looking out for us notaries. I presented my DL, looked away for a second to shuffle the loan docs, then when I went to retrieve my DL, she was taking a photo of it! It did make me feel uneasy but I didn’t say anything. Going forward I will not present my DL at all, only my business card which has all my pertinent info on it.
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That’s a good way to handle it. Thank you.
I agree. No one is going to be taking photos of anyone’s IDs at my signings 
I did speak to the NNA recently and they confirmed that it’s perfectly fine to show your ID, but don’t allow anyone to take a photo of it.
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Stacey, I am on your side – I offer my ID to my signers as well. And we are following BEST PRACTICES by doing so. Sometimes a snarky or sarcastic comment said in jest can be taken the wrong way. Tone/intention can be easy to misconstrue here but aye caramba… yes, yes feeling some rudeness vibes happening here and that is not very cool. We can do better.
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All due respect, Carmen, but those guidelines are the NNA’s workings and not necessarily a blanket requirement. There is no law in FL that states we have to provide sgners with a state or federally issued ID.
Is there anything in those guidelines that addresses the dangers of taking photos of signers’ ID with their phones?
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If you do a WHOIS lookup on signingprofessionalsworkgroup.org you find that the Registrant Contact Organization is NNA Services, LLC. The main page does not seem to contain a date, leaving to wonder if it is being maintained to account for changes in technology. The “Notary Signing Agent Code of Conduct” says it was updated in 2016.
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I wouldn’t use my phone, computer, camera, or one of my scanners to copy a signer’s ID, or any other sensitive document. If the signer is willing to pay for a trip to Staples and the purchase of a mini-SD card, I’d use my scanner that has no Internet access and which puts everything on a mini-SD card. Then I’d give the card to the signer; the signer would keep it.
It’s getting harder and harder to be sure you’ve deleted information from a phone, computer, or camera. It’s hard to be sure the device didn’t back it up somewhere to the cloud without telling me.
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