How a Notary Protects Your Personal Information

Have you ever had documents notarized? This isn’t required too often for most of us, so you don’t know what to expect. People’s biggest concern is what will happen to the personal information they disclose to the notary.

Notaries keep journals, which contain identifying information such as signatures, addresses, California driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and even your thumbprint. These pieces of information could be used to create a false identity. The law provides safeguards, however. Notaries public are required by the state to keep their journals under lock and key. The information must be under their control at all times. When a notary resigns, these journals are turned in to the county clerk or the secretary of state for safekeeping. Notaries are also prohibited from selling names and addresses to any third party.