Virginia Notary Requirements

ACCEPTABLE IDs FOR A VIRGINIA NOTARY

Va. Code Ann. § 47.1-2

Va. Code Ann. § 47.1-2 ('Satisfactory evidence of identity' definition). Satisfactory evidence of identity means identification of an individual based on (i) examination of one or more of the following unexpired documents bearing a photographic image of the individual's face and signature: a United States Passport Book, a United States Passport Card, a certificate of United States citizenship, a certificate of naturalization, a foreign passport, an alien registration card with photograph, a state issued driver's license or a state issued identification card or a United States military card or (ii) the oath or affirmation of one credible witness unaffected by the document or transaction who is personally known to the notary and who personally knows the individual or of two credible witnesses unaffected by the document or transaction who each personally knows the individual and shows to the notary documentary identification as described in clause (i). In the case of an individual who resides in an assisted living facility, as defined in § 63.2-100, or a nursing home, licensed by the State Department of Health pursuant to Article 1 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1 or exempt from licensure pursuant to § 32.1-124, an expired United States Passport Book, expired United States Passport Card, expired foreign passport, or expired state issued driver's license or state issued identification card may also be used for identification of such individual, provided that the expiration of such document occurred within five years of the date of use for identification purposes pursuant to this title.

STATE IDs

Virginia requires one of the specific documents listed below. Each must bear a photograph and signature.

Virginia Driver's License*
Out of State Driver's License
Virginia State Issued ID*
Out of State State Issued ID
Virginia License to Carry/CHL
Out of State License to Carry/CHL
Virginia Voter ID Card**
Out of State Voter ID Card

*5-year allowance: Signer resides in an assisted living facility (Va. Code § 63.2-100) or a nursing home licensed by the State Department of Health (Va. Code Title 32.1 Ch. 5 Article 1) or exempt from licensure per § 32.1-124.

**Virginia does not issue this credential.

FEDERAL IDs

Virginia requires one of the specific documents listed below. Each must bear a photograph and signature.

U.S. Passport Book*
U.S. Passport Card*
U.S. Military ID
U.S. Military Dependent ID
Permanent Resident Card**
Employment Authorization Card
VA Health ID Card
Social Security Card
Certificate of Citizenship
Certificate of Naturalization
Veteran ID Card

*5-year allowance: Signer resides in an assisted living facility (Va. Code § 63.2-100) or a nursing home licensed by the State Department of Health (Va. Code Title 32.1 Ch. 5 Article 1) or exempt from licensure per § 32.1-124.

**With photograph

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT IDs

Virginia requires one of the specific documents listed below. Each must bear a photograph and signature.

State Government Employee ID
County Government Employee ID
Municipal Government Employee ID
Federal Government Employee ID

INMATE IDs

Virginia does not accept inmate identification.

State Inmate ID
County Inmate ID
Federal Inmate ID

FOREIGN IDs

Virginia accepts foreign identification only as specifically listed below.

Foreign Passport*
Consular/Matricula ID
Foreign Driver's License

*5-year allowance: Signer resides in an assisted living facility (Va. Code § 63.2-100) or a nursing home licensed by the State Department of Health (Va. Code Title 32.1 Ch. 5 Article 1) or exempt from licensure per § 32.1-124.

CREDIBLE WITNESS(ES)

Virginia (Va. Code 47.1-2, definition of "Satisfactory evidence of identity") includes the oath or affirmation of a credible witness who personally knows the principal and is personally known to the notary or otherwise identified; the oath is the act. (Title 47.1, Virginia Notary Act).

One Credible Witness
If personally known to the notary
Two Credible Witnesses
Each must present satisfactory ID

PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE

Personally Known*

*Personal knowledge permitted

OTHER IDs

Tribal ID
Last verified: July 2026

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
Last verified: July 2026

Notary Fees

Va. Code Ann. § 47.1-19

Va. Code Ann. § 47.1-19 (FEES): A. A notary may, for taking and certifying the acknowledgment of any writing, or administering and certifying an oath, or certifying affidavits and depositions of witnesses, or certifying that a copy of a document is a true copy thereof, charge a fee up to $10. C. Any person appointed as a member of an electoral board or a general registrar shall be prohibited from collecting any fee as a notary during the time of such appointment.

Acknowledgment (max)
$10.00
Jurat (max)
$10.00
Additional signature (max)
$10.00
Travel fee capped?
Travel fee disclosure required?
Last verified: July 2026

Notarial Acts

Acknowledgment
Jurat
Oath / affirmation
Certified copy*
Signature witnessing
Protest

*Certified copy: May not certify a copy of a document in the custody of a court (Va. Code 47.1-12(iii)).

Last verified: July 2026

Certificate Language

Va. Code § 55.1-621
Acknowledgment · Attorney In Fact · safe-harbor wording
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this {date} by {signer_name} as attorney in fact on behalf of {represented_party}.
Acknowledgment · Individual · safe-harbor wording
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this {date} by {signer_name}.
Acknowledgment · Representative · safe-harbor wording
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this {date} by {signer_name}, {representative_title} of {entity_name}, a {entity_state} corporation, on behalf of the corporation.
Jurat · Individual · safe-harbor wording
Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me this {date} by {signer_name}.

Bracketed {tokens} are placeholders the app fills in (venue, names, dates) when it generates a certificate.

Last verified: July 2026

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)