What does Personal Knowledge of identity imply?

Personal Knowledge of identity refers to the notary's familiarity with an individual that arises from direct and repeated contact over a period. This familiarity signifies that the notary has a level of trust and understanding of the individual's identity that goes beyond mere recognition or superficial knowledge. In this context, it allows the notary to confirm the identity of the person signing a document without the need for formal identification or additional verification methods.

This contrasts with other options, such as recognition based on social media profiles, which may not provide sufficient assurance of a person's true identity and can often be misleading. A formal identification process involving third parties represents a more structured method of verifying identity, which is not what Personal Knowledge implies. Additionally, while knowing a person's identity can be important for legal processes, Personal Knowledge itself is not a formal legal requirement for notarization; it's simply a conditioning factor that can enhance the notary's ability to perform their duties effectively.