What does a notary need to confirm before starting a remote notarial act?

To successfully conduct a remote notarial act, it is essential for the notary to confirm the identity of the remotely located principal. This is critical because a notary's duty is to ensure that the individual signing the document is indeed who they claim to be. Proper identification helps prevent fraud and protects the integrity of the notarization.

Confirming the identity of the signer generally involves verifying government-issued identification or using other approved methods of identity verification in accordance with Illinois law. This measure ensures that the notary is authenticating the correct individual's signature and that the transaction is legitimate.

While knowing the location of the signing, the time of the appointment, and whether the document is fully notarized can be relevant to the overall process, the foremost obligation is to ensure that the person initiating the act is the correct person, which directly relates to the notary's primary function of verifying identities.