Will my ID work at a California notary?
Check whether your photo ID will be accepted by a California notary. Covers the five year issue date rule that turns most people away.
Check your ID before you goLink to this section
California accepts a photo ID that is current, or that was issued within the past five years. That is an either/or. An expired licence can still work if it was issued recently enough. Most people who get turned away did not know that. Use the checker below. It runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.
Will my ID work? Check it in ten seconds
California accepts an ID that is current, or was issued within the past five years. Getting turned away over this rule is the single most common wasted trip at any notary in the state. This runs entirely in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.
The five year rule, and why people get it wrongLink to this section
Civil Code § 1185 says an acceptable ID must be current, or have been issued within the past five years.
The important word is or. Your ID only has to pass one of those two tests, not both.
- Is it unexpired? Then it works. The issue date does not matter.
- Is it expired? Then it can still work, as long as it was issued within the past five years.
So an ID fails on dates only when both things are true at once: it has expired, and it was issued more than five years ago.
Two examples.
- Your licence expired last year, but it was issued three years ago. It works. Expired is fine inside the five year window.
- Your licence expired last year and was issued seven years ago. It does not work. It fails both tests.
This catches people out in the other direction. Someone finds an expired licence in a drawer, assumes it is useless, and drives to the DMV instead of the notary. Often the expired card would have been fine.
On a California licence the issue date is the small line marked ISS. On many other IDs it is printed near the expiration date. Check both dates before you travel.
What counts as acceptable IDLink to this section
Civil Code § 1185 sets the list. Each one must carry a photograph, a description of the person, their signature, and a serial or identifying number.
| Usually works | Never works on its own |
|---|---|
| California driver's licence or ID card | Social Security card |
| US passport, book or card | Birth certificate |
| Driver's licence or ID from another US state | Credit or debit card |
| Canadian or Mexican driver's licence | Student ID |
| US military ID | Library card |
| Valid foreign passport | Costco or gym membership |
| Employee ID from a California state agency, city or county | An expired ID issued more than five years ago |
| Federally recognised tribal government ID | A photo of your ID on your phone |
| Consular identification document | Someone else vouching for you informally |
The items in the right column are not acceptable identification for a notarization, however official they look. A birth certificate proves a birth. It does not prove that the person holding it is the person named on it.
One more rule that surprises people. A notary cannot rely on knowing you personally. Even if the notary is your neighbour, you still have to produce ID from the list.
What if you have no acceptable IDLink to this section
There is another route. It is called a credible witness, and it has real conditions attached.
Civil Code § 1185 allows either one credible witness who is personally known to the notary, or two credible witnesses who bring their own acceptable ID. The witnesses swear under penalty of perjury that they know who you are. They must also swear that you do not have any of the accepted IDs and that it would be very difficult or impossible for you to get one. A witness cannot have a financial interest in the document and cannot be named in it.
That last part matters. Credible witnesses are for people who genuinely cannot obtain an ID. They are not a shortcut for someone who left their licence at home.
If you think this applies to you, call before you book and we will tell you honestly whether it will work in your situation.
Bring the document unsignedLink to this section
While you are checking your ID, check this too.
If your document needs a jurat, California law requires you to sign it in front of the notary. If you have already signed it, you will sign it again. An acknowledgment does not have that requirement.
Most people do not know which one they have. Unsigned works for both, so unsigned is always the safe choice.
After the ID checkLink to this section
The ID is the most common reason for a wasted trip, but it is not the only one. Two more things to have ready.
- A complete document. No blank spaces. A notary is not allowed to accept a document that is incomplete.
- Yourself, in person. California does not currently allow notarization over video. A video call is not a personal appearance.
The full list of what to bring →
Book an appointmentLink to this section
Call (925) 319-8855. Notarization is $10 for each signature notarized. A mobile visit anywhere in the Tri-Valley adds a flat $75 travel fee.
This checker applies the rule in Civil Code § 1185 and is offered free, whether or not you book with us. It is a guide, not a guarantee. The notary at your appointment makes the final decision on the ID in front of them. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere or stored.