Montana Notary Requirements

MCA § 1-5-603(12) (identification of individual). (a) A notarial officer has personal knowledge of the identity of an individual appearing before the notarial officer if the individual is personally known to the notarial officer through dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty that the individual has the identity claimed. (9) A notarial officer has satisfactory evidence of the identity of an individual appearing before the notarial officer if the notarial officer can identify the individual: (a) by means of: (i) a passport, driver's license, or government-issued nondriver identification card, which may be current or expired, and if expired may not be expired for more than 3 years before the performance of the notarial act; or (ii) another form of government identification issued to an individual, which: (A) may be current or expired, and if expired may not be expired for more than 3 years before the performance of the notarial act; (B) must contain the signature or a photograph of the individual; and (C) must be satisfactory to the notarial officer; or (b) by verification on oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally appearing before the notarial officer and known to the notarial officer or whom the notarial officer can identify on the basis of a passport, driver's license, or government-issued nondriver identification card, which is current or expired, and if expired may not be expired for more than 3 years before the performance of the notarial act.

Mont. Code Ann. § 1-5-618 (Audiovisual recordings - notary public journal - security and retention) [journal provisions; subsection (1) governs remote notarization and is out of scope]: (2)(a) A notary public shall maintain one or more journals in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that the notary public performs. (2)(b) A journal may be created on a tangible medium or in an electronic format to chronicle all notarial acts, whether those notarial acts are performed regarding tangible or electronic records. The format of a journal maintained on a tangible medium must be a permanent, bound register designed to deter fraud. A journal maintained in an electronic format must be in a permanent, tamper-evident electronic format that complies with the rules adopted by the secretary of state. (3) An entry in a journal must be made contemporaneously with performance of the notarial act and contain: (a) the date and time of the notarial act; (b) a description of the record, including the date of the record if indicated, and the type of notarial act; (c) the full name and address of each principal; (d) the signature of each principal, except: (i) transcripts of depositions and certified copies do not require the signature of the individual for whom the notarial act is performed; and (ii) if the notarial act is performed using communication technology, the journal record must reference the storage location of the audiovisual recording in lieu of the signature of the principal; (e) if the identity of the principal is based on personal knowledge, a statement to that effect; (f) if the identity of the principal is based on satisfactory evidence, a brief description of the method of identification and the identification credential presented, if any, including the date of issuance or expiration of any identification credential; (g) if the notarial act is performed using an electronic notarization system or communication technology, or both, a notation identifying the system or technology, or both; and (h) the fee, if any, charged by the notary public. (4) A notary public may not record in the journal a social security number, passport number, driver's license number, birth date, or any other information prohibited by the secretary of state. (9)(a) A notary public shall retain a journal for 10 years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in the journal. (12) If Montana supreme court rules governing conduct by members of the bar prohibit compliance by an attorney with any provision of this section, that provision does not apply to the attorney.

MCA § 1-5-626 (Fees for notarial acts -- collection of fees): (1) a notary public may charge a fee not to exceed $10 for each notarial act; (2) a notary may charge an additional travel fee, as provided by rule, if the notary explains the fee is in addition to the subsection (1) fee and is an amount not determined by law and the person agrees; (3) an additional fee for a copy of a journal entry or audiovisual recording.