North Carolina Notary Practice Exam

In notary practice, what does 'verification or proof' refer to?

1. A certificate issued after notarization

2. The process of confirming an individual's signature

3. The actions taken to acknowledge document authenticity

4. The identification of an individual’s signature as genuine

The correct answer is: The identification of an individual’s signature as genuine

'Verification or proof' in notary practice primarily refers to the identification of an individual's signature as genuine. This is a critical part of the notary's role, as it ensures that the person signing the document is who they claim to be and that the signature on the document is authentic. Notaries often require personal identification, such as a driver's license or a passport, to perform this verification. The notary's responsibility includes assessing the credibility of the individual based on the identification provided, which ultimately upholds the integrity of the notarization process. In the context of the other choices, while a certificate issued after notarization is important in documenting that a notarization took place, it does not encompass the act of verifying the signature itself. The process of confirming an individual's signature, although related, refers more generally to the practice of comparing signatures rather than the broader notion of verifying identity and authenticity connected to the signature. Similarly, the actions taken to acknowledge document authenticity focus more on the document rather than the individual signatures that require validation. Therefore, identifying the signature as genuine is a more precise description of what 'verification or proof' entails in notary practice.