Florida Notary ID Requirements | Florida Statute §117.05

What are the ID requirements for FL notarizations per the Florida Statute §117.05(5)(b)?

For an in-person Florida notarization, the Notary must either personally know the signer or have satisfactory evidence that the signer is the individual described in and executing the document.

Under Florida Statute §117.05(5), satisfactory evidence may include an acceptable identification document or, in qualifying circumstances, credible witnesses. Online Sunshine

Acceptable identification documents

When relying on one of the identification documents permitted by Florida law, the document must generally be current or have been issued within the past five years and bear a serial or other identifying number. Online Sunshine

Acceptable forms include:

  • Florida driver's license or identification card
  • U.S. passport
  • Qualifying foreign passport when stamped as required by Florida law
  • Driver's license or identification card issued by another U.S. state or territory, Canada, or Mexico
  • U.S. Armed Forces identification card
  • Veteran Health Identification Card issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Identification card issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
  • Certain qualifying inmate identification documents or identification procedures specifically permitted by Florida law Online Sunshine

What if I don't have one of these IDs?

Florida law also provides a credible-witness procedure in qualifying circumstances.

This may involve either:

  • One credible witness who is personally known to the Notary and personally knows the signer; or
  • Two credible witnesses whose identities are established through satisfactory evidence and who personally know the signer.

The statutory requirements must be satisfied, including that obtaining another acceptable form of identification would be very difficult or impossible, the signer does not possess one of the specified identification documents, and the witnesses have no financial interest in and are not parties to the underlying transaction. Online Sunshine

Online notarization is different.

Remote Online Notarization has additional identity-verification requirements under Part II of Chapter 117. The identification procedures described above should not automatically be assumed to apply to an online notarization in the same manner. Online Sunshine

For questions about whether your identification can be used, please contact B. Elise Notary Services before your appointment.