What ID Is Acceptable for a California Notary?

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By the notaries at Mar Vista Cheap Mobile Notary, commissioned by the California Secretary of State · Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources: California Notary Public Handbook (Secretary of State, 2026), Civil Code § 1185, Government Code § 8206

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The legal standard: “satisfactory evidence”

Before completing an acknowledgment or jurat, a California notary must have “satisfactory evidence” of your identity (Civil Code § 1185). That means two things together: nothing about the situation suggests you aren’t who you claim to be, and one of three things: (A) an identification document from the list below, (B) the oath of one credible witness the notary personally knows, or (C) the oaths of two credible witnesses.

Knowing you personally is not enough. The Handbook is explicit: even a notary’s neighbor of 20 years must show satisfactory evidence, and it gets recorded in the journal.

List 1: accepted if current or issued within five years

• California driver’s license or ID card issued by the DMV
• U.S. passport. The Secretary of State confirms this includes the U.S. Passport Card, not just the passport book
• An inmate ID card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, if the inmate is in custody in state prison
• Any inmate identification issued by a sheriff’s department, if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility

List 2: accepted if current or issued within five years, and the ID shows a photo, physical description, signature and serial number

• A valid consular identification document from the consulate of your country of citizenship, or a valid passport from your country of citizenship
• A driver’s license issued by another U.S. state, or by a Canadian or Mexican agency authorized to issue driver’s licenses
• An ID card issued by another U.S. state
• An ID card issued by any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces (the Handbook cautions that current military IDs may not contain every required element)
• An employee ID card issued by a California state agency, or by a California city or county agency
• An ID card issued by a federally recognized tribal government

The extra requirements on List 2 are where people get caught. A foreign passport or a military ID has to contain a photograph, a description of the person, the person’s signature and an identifying number. If any of those is missing, the notary can’t rely on it, so bring a second ID if you have one.

The five-year rule for expired IDs

California does not require an unexpired ID. The law accepts an ID that is current or was issued within the last five years. So a driver’s license that expired last month but was issued four years ago still qualifies; a license issued eight years ago that expired last year does not. Look for the issue date (“ISS”) on the card.

IDs that do not work on their own

• Permanent resident card (green card). It is not on either California list, even though it is a federal photo ID.
• Social Security card, birth certificate, Medicare or insurance cards. No photo or not on the list. (A birth certificate can be used for one narrow purpose: verifying a birthdate in certain sworn identity statements under Government Code § 8230.)
• Student IDs, work badges from private companies, credit or debit cards, gym and membership cards.
• A paper temporary DMV license without a photo. Bring your previous card if it was issued within five years.
• Photocopies, photos on your phone, or scans. The notary must see the original document.

What the notary writes down

For every signer identified by ID, the notary’s journal records the type of ID, the issuing agency, the serial or ID number, and the date of issue or expiration (Government Code § 8206). That record protects you: if anyone ever questions whether you really signed, there is a sworn trail of exactly how you were identified.

If your name on the ID doesn’t match the document

The notary identifies the person, and the Handbook’s best practice is to record your full name exactly as it appears on your ID, including suffixes like Jr. or III. Minor differences (a middle initial on the ID but a full middle name on the document) are common and usually workable. A different last name (after marriage or divorce, for example) is a bigger problem, because the ID has to prove you are the person named in the document. If that’s your situation, see when your name doesn’t match your ID, or call us before booking.

Minors

California notary law sets no minimum age. A minor can sign and be notarized if they have acceptable ID (the DMV issues ID cards to people of any age, and a U.S. passport works too) and understand what they’re signing. Without ID, credible witnesses can identify them. Whether a minor’s signature is legally effective, or whether a parent must also sign, depends on the document, not on the notary.

No acceptable ID at all?

You still have options. California lets the identity of a signer be proven by credible witnesses: people who personally know you, have acceptable ID themselves, have no stake in the document, and swear to your identity under penalty of perjury. This is common for hospital patients, seniors who no longer drive, and people whose wallets were lost or stolen. For people in custody, inmate IDs from CDCR or the sheriff’s department are accepted (see jail and prison notary service).

Common questions

Can a notary accept an expired driver’s license in California?

Yes, if it was issued within the last five years. A California notary may accept a listed ID that is either current or issued within five years.

Is a green card acceptable ID for a notary in California?

No. The permanent resident card is not one of the IDs listed in Civil Code § 1185. A foreign passport from your country of citizenship, a state ID, or a California driver’s license all work.

Can I use a U.S. Passport Card?

Yes. The Secretary of State’s Handbook confirms a California notary may accept the U.S. Passport Card the same as a passport book.

Can I use a picture of my ID on my phone?

No. The notary must examine the actual identification document.

Does a REAL ID matter?

No. Any valid California driver’s license or ID card works, whether or not it has the REAL ID star.

What if my ID was lost or stolen right before my appointment?

Use credible witnesses (two people who know you and have their own ID), or bring another ID from the lists above. A police report alone does not establish identity. See credible witnesses.