Many California Notaries have been calling the NNA Hotline wondering if they can accept the new driver’s licenses being issued to undocumented immigrants as satisfactory evidence of identity. On January 1, a new law went into effect authorizing the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driver’s licenses to these immigrants.
Can Notaries accept these licenses from undocumented immigrants?
The short answer is yes.
But many questions linger because, under the law, these licenses come with wording that limits how they may be used. In addition, with an estimated 1.4 million undocumented immigrants living in the state, it is likely that many Notaries may come across one of the new licenses.
Federal limitations for new CA licenses
Here’s what you need to know about them:
- Any driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that is current or was issued in the past five years is an acceptable ID for California Notaries to use as satisfactory evidence of identity. That includes driver’s licenses issued under the new law for undocumented immigrants.
- The new licenses for undocumented immigrants will contain the words “Federal Limits Apply” on the front of the license and, "This card is not acceptable for official federal purposes. This license is issued only as a license to drive a motor vehicle. It does not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration or public benefits" on the reverse side. Any limitations on the use or acceptability of the driver’s license refers to U.S. federal government matters, not state Notary Public matters.
- As always, a signer must present the official license to a Notary Public. Notaries may not accept temporary licenses that are issued immediately after applying for a license.
- Notaries in other states may accept these new driver’s licenses if a statute or rule allows Notaries to accept a driver’s license from another state or jurisdiction of the United States or an ID issued by a state governmental agency.