Identification Requirements

State of California

A notary public is required to certify the identity of the signer of the document. Identity is established if the notary public is presented with satisfactory evidence of the signer’s identity. 

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Satisfactory Evidence

Identification must be current or issued within five years:

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• An identification card or driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles;
• A United States Passport;​

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The following forms of identification provided that it also contains a photograph, description of the person, signature of the person, and an identifying number:

• A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship or a valid passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship;
• A driver’s license issued by another state or by a Canadian or Mexican public agency authorized to issue driver’s licenses;
• An identification card issued by another state;
• A United States military identification card (caution: current military identification cards might not contain all the required information);
• An employee identification card issued by an agency or office of the State of California, or an agency or office of a city, county, or city and county in California;
• An identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government;
• Oaths of Two Credible Witnesses

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If the signer does not have a current and valid acceptable ID available, two (2) credible witnesses who know the signer may be used. Ask for details on how this works. MontereyBayNotaryPro@gmail.com