The death of a parent does not automatically change your name or the suffix shown on your identification.

If your identification shows your name with Jr., you should continue to present yourself using the name shown on your identification when having documents notarized.

For example, if your identification shows:

John Michael Smith Jr.

the death of John Michael Smith Sr. does not automatically change the son's identification to “John Michael Smith” or “John Michael Smith Sr.”

Likewise, suffixes such as II, III, or IV do not automatically change when an older family member passes away.

If you have legally changed your name or believe your identification no longer reflects your correct legal name, you should update your identification with the appropriate issuing agency.

For notarization purposes, the Notary must be able to satisfactorily identify you as the person named in the document. If the name on your document differs from the name shown on your identification, contact us before your appointment so we can determine whether satisfactory identification can be established.