What to bring
What to bring to a California notary: accepted photo ID, the expired ID rule, and the mistakes that cause a second trip.
Bring photo ID for every person signing, and your document filled in but not signed. Everyone signing has to be there in person with their own ID. Bring witnesses if your document has witness lines, and a way to pay. That is the whole list.
This applies wherever you get something notarized, here or anywhere else in California. Read it once and it will save you a wasted trip.
The short versionLink to this section
- Photo ID for every person signing
- Your document, filled out, not signed yet
- Everyone who has to sign, in person
- Witnesses, if your document needs them
- Payment
Now the details that matter.
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.
1. Photo ID for every single signerLink to this section
Not just the main person. Everyone whose signature gets notarized needs their own ID, in their own hand, in the room.
IDs California acceptsLink to this section
The card has to be current, or issued within the last five years. (Civil Code 1185)
| ID | Accepted |
|---|---|
| California driver's licence or ID card | Yes |
| US passport (book or card) | Yes |
| Driver's licence or ID card from another US state | Yes |
| Canadian or Mexican driver's licence | Yes |
| US military ID | Yes |
| Valid passport from your country of citizenship | Yes |
| Consular ID from your country's consulate | Yes |
| Employee ID from a California state, city or county agency | Yes |
| ID from a federally recognized tribal government | Yes |
| Inmate ID from California Corrections or a sheriff's department | Yes, if the person is in custody |
| Social Security card | No |
| Birth certificate | No |
| Marriage certificate | No |
| Credit or debit card | No |
| Student ID | No |
| Library card, gym card, warehouse club card | No |
| A photocopy of your ID | No |
| A photo of your ID on your phone | No |
The IDs in the second group need a photograph, a description of the person, a signature and an identifying number. That is why a Social Security card and a birth certificate never work. They have no photo.
This is state law, not a house rule.
2. The expired ID ruleLink to this section
An expired ID can still work. California accepts it if it was issued within the last five years. So check two dates on your card, not one. The issue date is the one that decides. A licence that expired last year but was issued three years ago is fine. The same licence issued six years ago is not.
| Your card | Will it work? |
|---|---|
| Current, not expired | ✅ Yes |
| Expired last year, issued 3 years ago | ✅ Yes |
| Expired last year, issued 6 years ago | ❌ No |
| Expired US passport | ❌ Almost never. Passports run 10 years, so an expired one is past 5 |
Where to look. On a California licence the issue date sits near the expiration date, often labelled "ISS." On a US passport it is the "Date of issue" line.
Not sure? Ask before you go. Two minutes on the phone beats an afternoon off work for nothing.
If your ID is too old, or you have noneLink to this section
California allows credible witnesses instead. Two people who personally know you come with you, each with their own valid photo ID, and swear under oath that you are who you say you are. One witness is enough if that person personally knows the notary.
There are limits. The witnesses swear that you do not have any of the IDs on the list above and that it would be very difficult or impossible for you to get one. They also cannot be named in your document or stand to gain from it. So this is for people who genuinely cannot get an ID, not for people who left theirs at home. (Civil Code 1185)
Tell whoever you book with, so they set aside extra time.
3. Your document, complete and unsignedLink to this section
Fill in every blankLink to this section
A notary must refuse a document that is incomplete. If a line is meant to stay empty, put a line through it or write "N/A." (Gov. Code 8205)
Do not sign it yetLink to this section
Wait until you are in front of the notary. A jurat legally requires you to sign in the notary's presence. An acknowledgment does not. You probably do not know which one you have, so unsigned is always safe. Jurat or acknowledgment? →
Ink, not pencilLink to this section
Pencil can be erased. Expect it to be refused.
Bring the whole documentLink to this section
Including the last page, the one with the notary wording. It usually starts "State of California, County of ______" and says either Acknowledgment or Jurat.
No such page? Then find out which one your document needs. Ask whoever is requesting the document. A notary is not allowed to choose for you, because choosing is legal advice. This one question, asked in advance, saves entire appointments.
4. Everyone who is signingLink to this section
Every signer has to be physically present, with their own ID. Not over the phone. Not over video. Not "she signed it this morning, here it is." California law requires the person to appear in front of the notary, and a video image does not count as appearing.
People signing at different times is fine. Just book more than one appointment.
5. Witnesses, if your document needs themLink to this section
A notary and a witness are not the same thing.
- A notary checks ID and stamps the document.
- A witness is an ordinary person who watches you sign, then signs it themselves.
Some documents need both. A California will has to be signed by at least two witnesses who are present at the same time and understand that the document is your will. A notary stamp does not replace them. (Probate Code 6110)
Most people find this out too late. If your document has witness lines, read this before you book anything.
6. PaymentLink to this section
$10 for each document notarized, plus a flat $75 travel fee if we come to you. Full pricing →
Pay at the appointment, by card or cash.
The 30-second self-checkLink to this section
Four questions. Any "no" or "not sure" means make a phone call before you go anywhere.
- Is my ID current, or was it issued within the last five years?
- Is every blank in my document filled in?
- Will every person signing be there in person, with their own photo ID?
- Does my document already have an Acknowledgment or Jurat page?
Not sure about your ID specifically? Use the interactive checker above. It gives you a yes or no.
Print thisLink to this section
Put it on the fridge, or forward it to whoever is signing with you.
Book nowLink to this section
Call (925) 319-8855.
General information about California notarization. Not legal advice.