This same thing happened to me when I went to my local bank to have my signature notarized on a permission to travel document for a trip my daughter was taking last summer with her youth group.
The bank did not want to make a copy of the doc, but they did want to make a copy of my driver's license to "keep on file". Of course they told me this after the notarization was completed (well, not quite complete, the bank notary failed to notice that venue was not on the form and she did not write it in; she also failed to give me the oath for jurat) and this request for copy was after the bank notary had already given my D/L back to me.
I asked what do you need this for, since it's not required by the state and I'm not comfortable with you keeping a copy of my license for this purpose (she had already written my D/L in her log, which is not required in VA but I also keep a log so good for her on that one). Was told "it's bank policy". I refused, and asked her how we were to proceed? She consulted with her manager and then they decided not to press it any further.
I did contact my secretary of state notary division, and expressed my concern with this policy. I was told that notaries are encouraged to keep a record of their notarial acts, and if this was the way the notary chose to do so, that was the notary's prerogative. The SOS then went on to say that perhaps I should ask the notary about this prior to having them notarize my signature. Well, that's all well and good but that would never have occurred to me, especially since another notary at my bank has notarized my signature several times before and not even used a journal.
Personally, I feel it's the notary's responsibility to tell the signer BEFORE the transaction if they will be requiring a copy of my D/L to "keep on file". Then the signer may make the decision to allow it or go somewhere else. |
