The Notary must positively identify each document signer to be certain that the signer is actually who he or she claims to be.

Methods of Identification

1) The Notary's own Personal Knowledge of the signer (not permitted for Acknowledgments or Jurats).

2) Satisfactory Evidence, consisting of:

a. An identification card; or
b. One or two credible identifying witnesses.

i. If the Notary personally knows the witness who knows the signer, one witness suffices; otherwise two credible identifying witnesses are necessary to identify the signer.

ii. The Notary must administer an oath or affirmation to the credible identifying witness. The identifying witness must vouch that: 

        1. The signer is the person named in the document. 

        2. The signer is personally known to the witness. 

        3. The signer does not possess any state-approved ID cards. 

        4. The witness reasonably believes the signer's circumstances make it difficult or impossible to obtain an ID card. 

        5. The witness does not have a financial interest in the document and is not named in the document (Civil Code § 1185).

Identification Cards Requirements

1) Photograph
2) Physical description
3) Signature
4) Serial/ID number

California-Approved IDs 
        - California Driver License 
        - California Identification Card 
        - Mexico Driver License 
        - U.S. Passport 
        - U.S. Military ID Card* 
        - Inmate ID card** 
        - Other State Driver License 
        - Other State Identification Card 
        - Canada Driver License 
        - Foreign Passport (Stamped by USCIS***) 
        - ID card issued by the USCIS, but only for notarization of USCIS forms

*The Military's new access card, Common Access Card (CAC) does not include a signature; therefore, Notaries may not accept it as identification.

**For inmates in custody.

***U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS).