South Carolina Notary Requirements
ACCEPTABLE IDs FOR A SOUTH CAROLINA NOTARY
S.C. Code Ann. § 26-1-5
S.C. Code Ann. § 26-1-5(17) ('Satisfactory evidence' definition). Satisfactory evidence means identification of an individual based on either: (a) a current identification document issued by a federal or state government agency bearing a photographic image of the individual's face, signature, and a physical description, except that a current passport without a physical description is acceptable; or (b) upon the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known to the notary public or of two witnesses who present an identification document as described in subitem (a).
S.C. Code Ann. SS 26-1-5(14) (Personal knowledge definition). 'Personal knowledge' or 'personally known' means familiarity with an individual resulting from interactions with that individual over a period of time sufficient to eliminate any reasonable doubt that the individual has the identity claimed.
STATE IDs
South Carolina requires a current, state-issued document bearing a photograph, signature, and physical description.
*Acceptable only if the License to Carry/CHL card bears a photograph, signature, and physical description - verify on the card presented; some states' License to Carry/CHLs do not.
FEDERAL IDs
South Carolina requires a current, federally issued document bearing a photograph, signature, and physical description.
*Current passport accepted even without physical description
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT IDs
South Carolina requires a current, government-issued document bearing a photograph, signature, and physical description.
*Acceptable if the card bears a photograph, signature, and physical description - verify on the card presented.
INMATE IDs
South Carolina does not accept inmate identification.
FOREIGN IDs
South Carolina does not accept foreign identification.
CREDIBLE WITNESS(ES)
South Carolina (S.C. Code 26-1-5(17)(b)) defines satisfactory evidence to include the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known to the notary, or two witnesses who present a qualifying ID; the oath is the act. (Title 26 ch. 1, 2014 Act 185).
PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE
*Personal knowledge means familiarity sufficient to eliminate any reasonable doubt.
OTHER IDs
Journal Rules
No traditional journal statute
NO TRADITIONAL JOURNAL MANDATE.
- Journal required?
- ✗
- Bound paper journal required?
- ✗
- Wet signature required in journal?
- ✗
- Wet thumbprint required?
- ✗
- Digital journal allowed?
- ✓
- Journal format
- Optional
Notary Fees
S.C. Code Ann. § 26-1-100
S.C. Code Ann. § 26-1-100 (FEES FOR NOTARY ACTS): (A) The maximum fees that may be charged by a notary for a notarial act is: (1) for an acknowledgment, five dollars per signature; (2) for an oath or affirmation without a signature, five dollars per person; (3) for a jurat, five dollars per signature; (4) for a signature witnessing, five dollars per signature; (5) for a verification of fact, five dollars per signature. (B) A notary who charges a fee for his notarial services shall display conspicuously in his place of business, or present to each principal outside his place of business, an English language schedule of fees for notarial acts. (C) A notary may charge a travel fee when traveling to perform a notarial act if: (1) the notary and the person requesting the notarial act agree upon the travel fee in advance of the travel; and (2) the notary explains to the person requesting the notarial act that the travel fee is both separate from the notarial fee prescribed by subsection (A) and is neither specified nor mandated by law. (D) Nothing in this chapter compels a notary to charge a fee.
- Acknowledgment (max)
- $5.00
- Jurat (max)
- $5.00
- Additional signature (max)
- $5.00
- Travel fee capped?
- ✗
- Travel fee disclosure required?
- ✓
Notarial Acts
Certificate Language
Bracketed {tokens} are placeholders the app fills in (venue, names, dates) when it generates a certificate.
Source Documents
Full statute and (where published) the commissioning authority’s notary handbook. Download links appear here once the documents table is populated.
📄 Full notary statute (coming soon) 📄 Notary handbook (coming soon)