Ohio Notary Requirements

ACCEPTABLE IDs FOR AN OHIO NOTARY

Ohio Rev. Code § 147.50 (Identity of person). (A) A notary public has personal knowledge of the identity of the person appearing before the notary public if the person is personally known to the notary public through dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty that the person has the identity claimed. (B) A notary public has satisfactory evidence of the identity of the person appearing before the notary public if the notary public can identify the person by either of the following means: (1) An inspection of a passport, driver's license, government-issued nondriver identification card, or other form of government-issued identification with the signature or photograph of the individual, which is current or expired not more than three years before performance of the notarial act, and is satisfactory to the notary public; (2) By verification on oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally appearing before the notary public and personally known to the notary public or whom the notary public can identify on the basis of a passport, driver's license, or other government-issued nondriver identification card, which is current or expired not more than three years before performance of the notarial act. A witness is not credible if the witness has a conflict of interest regarding the transaction. (C) A notary public may require a person to provide additional information or identification credentials necessary to assure the notary public of the identity of the person.

State & Local IDs

Ohio requires a state-issued identification bearing a photograph or signature, current or expired no more than 3 years ago.

Documents qualifying under this standard remain subject to your judgment as the notary that the identification presented is satisfactory.

Driver's License
Out of State Driver's License
State Issued ID
Out of State State Issued ID
License to Carry/CHL
Out of State License to Carry/CHL1
Voter ID Card2
Out of State Voter ID Card3
Out of State Voter Registration Certificate

1Acceptable only if the License to Carry/CHL card bears a photograph or signature - verify on the card presented; some states' License to Carry/CHLs do not.

2Ohio does not issue this credential.

3Acceptable only if the Voter ID card bears a photograph or signature - verify on the card presented; some states' Voter IDs do not.

Federal IDs

Ohio requires a federally issued identification bearing a photograph or signature, current or expired no more than 3 years ago.

Documents qualifying under this standard remain subject to your judgment as the notary that the identification presented is satisfactory.

U.S. Passport Book
U.S. Passport Card
Permanent Resident Card
Employment Authorization Card
Social Security Card
Certificate of Citizenship
Certificate of Naturalization

Military & Veteran

U.S. Military ID
U.S. Military Dependent ID
Veteran ID Card
VA Health ID Card

Government Employment

Ohio requires a government-issued identification bearing a photograph or signature, current or expired no more than 3 years ago.

State Government Employee ID1
County Government Employee ID1
Municipal Government Employee ID1
Federal Government Employee ID1

1Acceptable if the card bears a photograph or signature - verify on the card presented.

Tribal

Tribal ID1

1Acceptable if the card bears a photograph or signature - verify on the card presented.

Foreign IDs

Ohio requires a foreign-government issued identification bearing a photograph or signature, current or expired no more than 3 years ago.

Documents qualifying under this standard remain subject to your judgment as the notary that the identification presented is satisfactory.

Foreign Passport
Consular/Matricula ID
Foreign Driver's License
Foreign National ID Card

Inmate & Corrections

Ohio accepts state, county, and federal inmate identification as listed below.

State Inmate ID
County Inmate ID1
Federal Inmate ID

1Acceptable if the card bears a photograph or signature - verify on the card presented.

CREDIBLE WITNESS(ES)

Ohio (Ohio Rev. Code 147.50(B)(2)) provides satisfactory evidence of identity by a verification on oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally appearing before and personally known to the notary or whom the notary can identify on the basis of a passport, driver license, or other government-issued nondriver ID (current or expired not more than 3 years); the oath is the act. (Notary Public Modernization Act, SB 263, 132nd G.A., eff. 9/20/2019).

One Credible Witness
Either personally known, or presents satisfactory ID

PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE

Personally Known1

*Personal knowledge through sufficient dealings permitted.

Last verified: September 2026

Journal Rules

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: September 2026

Notary Fees

ORC § 147.08 (FEES; eff. Apr. 3, 2025): (A) A notary public is entitled to the following fees: (1) Up to five dollars for any notarial act that is not an online notarization; (B) A notary charging the fee authorized under division (A)(2) of this section shall not also charge the fee authorized under division (A)(1) of this section. (C) The fees charged under division (A) of this section shall not be calculated on a per signature basis. (D) In addition to the fees authorized under division (A) of this section, a notary may charge either or both of the following: (1) A reasonable travel fee, as agreed to by the notary and the principal prior to the notarial act (E) The secretary of state may adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to increase the fees authorized under this section.

Acknowledgment (max)
$5.00
Jurat (max)
$5.00
Additional signature (max)
$2.00
Travel fee capped?
✗
Travel fee disclosure required?
✓
Last verified: September 2026

Notarial Acts

Acknowledgment
Jurat
Oath / affirmation
Certified copy
Signature witnessing
Protest
Last verified: September 2026

Certificate Language

Ohio Rev. Code § 147.55(D)
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
Sworn to and subscribed before me this {date} by {signer_name}.
Last verified: September 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)