Complete Guide to Notary Public ID Requirements

Q: Can I accept a photo of an ID on someone's phone?

No. You need the physical ID card. A phone photo can be manipulated and does not allow security feature checks.

Q: What if the signer's ID has a different name than the document?

Minor variations are usually fine. Substantially different names may require additional documentation or refusal.

Q: Can I notarize for someone whose ID is from another state?

Yes. You can accept government-issued ID from any U.S. state or territory.

Published July 11, 2024 · Updated May 21, 2026

Before you notarize anything, you must verify the signer’s identity. Every state requires this. The specific rules about which IDs are acceptable vary, but the principle is the same everywhere: the notary must see satisfactory evidence that the person in front of them is the person named in the document. Here is a practical guide to what you can accept, what you cannot, and what to do when a signer has no ID.

IDs You Can Accept in Every State

These are universally accepted across the U.S.:

State-issued driver’s license (any U.S. state or territory)
State-issued ID card (non-driver ID)
U.S. passport or passport card
U.S. military ID (Common Access Card or DD Form 2)

These all have a photo, a physical description or identifying information, a signature, and an issuing authority. That is what makes them reliable for identity verification.

IDs That Are Accepted in Some States

Foreign passports: Accepted in most states. California explicitly allows them. Check your state.
Permanent resident card (green card): Accepted in most states.
Consular IDs (matricula consular): Accepted in some states (California allows them under Civil Code 1185). Other states reject them.
Tribal ID cards: Accepted in many states if they meet the photo/signature/issuing authority standard.
Inmate IDs: Texas allows IDs issued by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Other states vary.
Student IDs: Rarely accepted alone. Some states allow them with a supplemental document.

IDs You Should Not Accept

Social Security cards (no photo)
Birth certificates (no photo)
Credit or debit cards (not government-issued)
Work badges or employee IDs (not government-issued)
Expired IDs in states that require current IDs
Photocopies or pictures of IDs on a phone

Expired IDs

Some states accept expired IDs within a grace period. California accepts IDs that are expired but were issued within the past five years. Florida accepts IDs expired within the past year if the notary records the expiration date in their journal. Texas has no specific grace period. Check your state’s rules.

What to Check on Every ID

Photo matches the person in front of you. Look at the face, not just glance at the card.
Name matches the document. The name on the ID should match or be consistent with the name on the document being signed. Minor variations (middle initial, suffix) are usually fine.
Physical description matches. Height, eye color, hair color should be reasonable.
ID is not obviously tampered with. Look for mismatched fonts, peeling laminate, or altered text.
Expiration date. Know your state’s rules on expired IDs.

When the Signer Has No ID

If the signer cannot produce any acceptable identification, you have a few options depending on your state:

Personal knowledge: Some states allow you to notarize for someone you personally know, even without ID. You must be certain of their identity.
Credible witnesses: Many states allow one or two credible witnesses to vouch for the signer’s identity under oath. California allows one witness known to the notary, or two witnesses with ID. See our credible witness guide.
Decline the notarization. If your state does not allow any alternative identification method, you must refuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I accept a photo of an ID on someone’s phone?

No. You need to see the physical ID card. A photo on a phone screen can be manipulated and does not allow you to check security features.

What if the signer’s ID has a different name than the document?

If the ID says “John A. Smith” but the document says “John Allen Smith,” you can usually proceed as long as you are confident it is the same person. If the names are substantially different, ask for additional documentation or decline.

Can I notarize for someone whose ID is from another state?

Yes. You can accept a driver’s license or state ID from any U.S. state or territory. Your notary commission governs where you perform the notarization, not which state issued the signer’s ID.