Sensitive personal information can cause serious harm if it falls into the wrong hands. That is why it is essential that Notaries protect the privacy of signers they interact with and never abuse information that is entrusted to them, as detailed in Guiding Principle IX of The Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility

IX
THE NOTARY SHALL RESPECT THE PRIVACY OF EACH SIGNER AND NOT DIVULGE OR USE PERSONAL OR PROPRIETARY INFORMATION DISCLOSED DURING EXECUTION OF A NOTARIAL ACT FOR OTHER THAN AN OFFICIAL PURPOSE.

Guiding Principle IX sets important guidelines such as not permitting unauthorized persons to randomly search through the Notary’s record book or discussing details of a notarial act with someone who isn’t involved or who has a need to know.

Also, Guiding Principle IX stipulates that Notaries should never use private information relating to notarizations for personal gain, such as selling the names and addresses of signers in the record book to a third party.