Notary Public Underwriters Blog
Can a Florida Notary Accept an Expired Driver’s License to Identify a Customer?
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- Published: November 17, 2025
Most states in the U.S. allow a notary public to accept more than one type of credential to satisfactorily identify a person the notary does not personally know. But by far, the most common credential a person presents as evidence of their identification is a state-issued driver’s license.
Notaries in all states may accept a current, validly-issued driver’s license as satisfactory evidence of identification. But notaries in some states are also allowed to accept a validly-issued but expired driver’s license, or if the license meets other specified requirements.
Since most of your customers are likely to be Florida residents, be very sure you know of any and all additional requirements of Florida law that dictate the credentials you can accept as satisfactory evidence of identification.
For example, in Florida, a notary may accept an official driver’s license or identification card issued by Florida, any other U.S. state or territory of the United States, or Canada or Mexico, if the license or card contains a serial or other identifying number and it is current, OR issued in the past five years.
Finally, remember that not all customers requesting a notarial act will have a familiar and customary identification document to present to the officiating notary. Florida allows its notaries to identify a person by use of a credible witness. Review your state laws, administrative rules, and notary handbook for credible witness requirements and procedures.
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