Maryland Statutes
Subtitle 2 - Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts
Section 18-204 - Verification, Attestation, Certification, or Protest

(a)    A notarial officer who takes an acknowledgment of a record shall determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual in accordance with § 18–206 of this subtitle, that:
        (1)    the individual appearing before the notarial officer and making the acknowledgment has the identity claimed; and
        (2)    the signature on the record is the signature of the individual.
    (b)    A notarial officer who takes a verification on oath or affirmation of a statement shall determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual in accordance with § 18–206 of this subtitle, that:
        (1)    the individual appearing before the notarial officer and making the verification has the identity claimed; and
        (2)    the signature on the statement verified is the signature of the individual.
    (c)    A notarial officer who witnesses or attests to a signature shall determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual in accordance with § 18–206 of this subtitle, that the individual appearing before the notarial officer and signing the record has the identity claimed.
    (d)    A notarial officer who certifies or attests a copy of a record or an item that was copied shall determine that the copy is a full, true, and accurate transcription or reproduction of the record or item.
    (e)    (1)    A notarial officer who certifies that a tangible copy of an electronic record is an accurate copy of the electronic record shall:
            (i)    reasonably determine whether the electronic record is in a tamper–evident format; and
            (ii)    personally print or supervise the printing of the electronic record onto paper or other tangible medium.
        (2)    A notarial officer who certifies that a tangible copy of an electronic record is an accurate copy of the electronic record may not make the certification if the notarial officer has detected a change or an error in an electronic signature or other information in the electronic record.
    (f)    A notarial officer who makes or notes a protest of a negotiable instrument shall make or note the protest in accordance with § 3–505(b) of the Commercial Law Article.

Structure Maryland Statutes