As a California notary public, one of your most critical responsibilities is properly identifying the signers who appear before you. The California Secretary of State outlines specific requirements regarding acceptable identification documents. At Wet Ink Notary LLC, serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange Counties, we adhere strictly to these guidelines to ensure legally sound notarizations.
Satisfactory Evidence of Identity
California notaries must obtain “satisfactory evidence” that the person appearing before them is who they claim to be. This evidence can be established in two primary ways:
1. ID Documents
The most common method of identification is through government-issued photo IDs. According to the California Notary Handbook, acceptable identification documents must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Be issued by a federal or state government agency
- Contain the photograph, description, and signature of the individual presenting it
- Be current or issued within the last 5 years
Specifically, the following documents are acceptable for notarization purposes:
California-Issued IDs:
- California driver’s license
- California identification card
Other U.S. Government-Issued IDs:
- Other state’s driver’s license or identification card
- U.S. passport or passport card
- U.S. military identification card
- Inmate identification card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation if the inmate is in custody
Foreign Government-Issued IDs:
- A foreign passport that has been stamped by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- A foreign driver’s license that contains a photograph, description, and signature of the individual (note: this must be accompanied by another form of identification)
- A Mexican or Canadian driver’s license issued by those countries (again, must be accompanied by another form of identification)
2. Credible Witnesses
If a signer does not have acceptable identification, California law allows identification through credible witnesses. There are two options:
- One credible witness who is personally known to both the notary and the signer
- Two credible witnesses who know the signer but not necessarily the notary (in this case, the credible witnesses must present acceptable identification to the notary)
Rules Regarding Expired IDs
The California Notary Handbook is clear on the matter of expired identification documents:
Identification documents must be current or issued within the last five years. An expired ID is not acceptable unless it was issued within the past five years.
This means:
- A driver’s license or ID card that expired two years ago can still be used for notarization if the expiration date is less than five years from the current date
- An ID that expired more than five years ago cannot be used as satisfactory evidence of identity
- Temporary licenses or temporary identification cards, regardless of expiration date, are not acceptable forms of identification for notarization purposes
Special Considerations
There are several important points to remember when verifying identity:
- Notaries must physically examine the ID document in the presence of the signer
- Digital or photocopied IDs are never acceptable
- The name on the ID must reasonably match the name on the document being notarized
- Notaries should check for tampering, alterations, or other signs that the ID may not be genuine
- A matricula consular ID card is not acceptable as the sole form of identification
Documenting Identification
California notaries are required to document the type of identification used in their notary journal, including:
- The type of ID presented
- The governmental agency that issued the ID
- The serial or identification number on the ID
- The issuance and expiration dates of the ID
At the end of the day…
Properly identifying signers is one of the most important duties of a notary public. At Wet Ink Notary LLC, we take this responsibility seriously as we serve Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange Counties. By following these guidelines, we ensure that every notarization we perform meets the legal requirements established by California law.
If you have questions about acceptable forms of identification or need professional notary services, contact Wet Ink Notary LLC today. We’re here to provide reliable, compliant notarization services throughout Southern California.