The primary duty of a notary public is to verify the identities of each signer on a document. This is done to protect against fraudulent acts that may otherwise void the notarized document. The notary public typically requests each signer to provide identification that verifies their identity. If the client fails to provide an acceptable form of identification, the notary public is legally obligated to refuse the service. So, what’s considered an “acceptable” form of identification when seeking the services of a notary public?
Accepted forms of identification for having notarial services performed include the following:
- State-issued driver’s license
- State-issued identification card
- U.S. military identification card
- Resident alien identification card (green card)
- Senior ID Card issued by State or government office
- Employee Identification Card issued by a state or government agency
- U.S. passport
- Foreign Passport issued by a foreign government
- Driver License issued by a Canadian or Mexican
- Inmate Identification Card issued by the California Department of Corrections if the inmate is in custody
No Identification? No problem!
If you are unable to obtain an acceptable form of identification, you may be able to verify your identify to the notary public through two credible witnesses. A credible witness is a person who knows the signer of the document and can vouch for his or her identity. It’s important to note that not all states allow the use of credible witness to verify a signer’s identify.