What is a Notary Public?

A Notary Public is an official appointed by the Secretary of State and authorized to serve the public as an unbiased witness when performing notarial acts.

What documents can a Notary Public notarize?

Legal Affidavits,

Real Estate documents,

Mortgage documents,

Commercial documents,

Passport applications,

Certified copies,

Employment contracts,

Investment documents,

Insurance documents,

Power of Attorney,

Signature witnessing,

and many more!

What identification do I need to bring when getting a document notarized?

California permits Notaries to accept the following forms of identification, provided they are current or issued in the past 5 years:

A California driver’s license or nondriver’s ID

A U.S. passport (or passport card)

An inmate identification card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation if the inmate is in prison or any form of inmate identification issued by a sheriff’s department if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility

California also permits the following IDs, provided they include a photograph, signature, description of the person and a serial or ID number, and provided they are current or issued in the past 5 years:

A driver’s license or official nondriver’s ID issued by a U.S. state

A Canadian or Mexican driver’s license issued by an appropriate public agency

A U.S. military ID

A valid foreign passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship

An employee ID issued by an agency or office of a California city, county, or city and county

An identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government

A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship that meets specific requirements. (Note: Matricula consular cards issued by the government of Mexico do not meet California's statutory requirements.)