IdentificationQuestion 60 of 100
May a California notary rely on personal knowledge of the signer to establish identity?
a.No; California eliminated personal knowledge—identity must be by acceptable ID or credible witness
b.Yes, if the notary has known the signer for years
c.Yes, for family members
d.Yes, for acknowledgments only
Explanation
Unlike many states, California does not allow personal knowledge as a method of identifying a signer. Even a well-known signer must be identified through acceptable identification documents or the oath of credible witnesses.
Law Reference: CA Civil Code §1185Practice all 100 questions free — no signup required.
Related questions on this topic
- What does 'satisfactory evidence' of a signer's identity mean in California?
- Which of the following is an acceptable identification document in California?
- Is a valid U.S. passport acceptable identification for a California notarization?
- For most acceptable ID documents, what is the currency requirement?
- When a single credible witness is used to identify a signer, that witness must be:
- Before accepting a credible witness's identification of a signer, the notary must:
Last reviewed: · editorial process
PrepPass Editorial Team · Verified against California Notary Public Exam (Secretary of State) · How we review