Credible Witnesses - The Human ID

Picture ID is required in order to have a document notarized. And this is not just any ID, it must be government issued, such as a passport, driver's license or identification card.

On rare occasions, I have been asked to notarize a document for someone that is unable to produce ID. CA notary law allows a way around this problem.

If the client does not have ID then they must produce two credible witnesses that can vouch for their identity. The credible witnesses must have identification and they must affirm under oath the following:

1. The individual appearing before the notary public as the signer of the document is the
   person named in the document;
2. The credible witnesses personally knows the signer;
3. The credible witnesses reasonably believe that the circumstances of the signer are such that it would be very difficult or impossible for the signer to obtain another form of identification;
4. The signer does not possess any of the identification documents authorized by law to establish the signer’s identity;
5. The credible witnesses do not have a financial interest and are not named in the document signed.

They both must sign the notary journal and their ID must be input in the journal.