All notaries in the State of California are required to submit to a background screening administered by the Department of Justice and the FBI. As an additional measure for the safety of my clients I am background certified with the Nationa Notary Association, the foremost name in industry background check. Additionally, the state requires a $15,000 surety bond and I carry an industry leading $100,000 E & O insurance policy.
All you need to bring with you is a current form of government-issued identification (see list below). The document should also contain the notarial "certificate" verbiage which may appear on the document itself or as an attachment. If the notarial wording is not on the document the signers are responsible for knowing what type of notarization they need. Please note that a Notary Public legally cannot choose which type of certificate the document requires. If the signer does not know what kind of notarization they need, they must consult with the document issuing agency, receiving agency or attorney to help decide which wording will be needed. A notary is not an attorney and cannot give legal advice.
A valid photo identification card is required by each signer, in order for a document to be notarized. One of the following will do as long as it is current or has been issued within the past 5 years:
a. State issued driver's license or identification card
b. U.S. passport
c. Foreign passport
d. U.S. military identification card (with a photograph, physical description of the person, signature of the person, and an identifying number.)
e. Driver’s license officially issued in Mexico or Canada
f. Inmate ID card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (for inmates in custody only)
g. Any form of inmate identification issued by a sheriff's department, if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility
h. An employee ID card issued by an agency or office of the State of California, or an agency or office of a city, county, or city and county in California
i. A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant's country of citizenship
j. An ID card issued by a federally recognized tribal government
Acceptable ID's generally have the following characteristics:
· Government issued
· Photo
· Physical description (not required in passports)
· Signature
· Identification or Serial number
· Expiration date