Notary glossary
Credible Witness
A credible witness is someone who personally knows the signer and swears to the notary that the signer is who they say they are. They exist for one situation: the signer cannot produce acceptable identification. The witness does not sign the document or take any responsibility for it — their only role is to put their own oath behind the signer's identity.
Why the option exists
A notary has to identify the signer to the standard their state sets, and the usual route is a current government-issued photo ID. That route fails more often than people expect: a licence expires, a wallet is stolen, an elderly signer in care has let their ID lapse, or a recent arrival has no state ID yet.
Rather than making notarization impossible for those signers, states allow identity to be established through a person instead of a document. The witness swears under oath to the signer's identity, and the notary records that this is how identification was made.
Who can act as one
The requirements vary by state, but the core conditions are consistent. The witness must personally know the signer — a real acquaintance, not someone met in the waiting room — and must themselves be identified by the notary, normally with their own current photo ID. They must be competent to take an oath, and they must have no interest in the transaction.
That last condition is the one that catches people out. A witness who stands to inherit under the will being signed, or who is a party to the agreement, is disqualified in most states precisely because their stake gives them a reason to lie.
One witness or two
This is where state law genuinely diverges, and it turns on whether the notary knows the witness. Where the notary personally knows the witness, one is typically enough. Where the notary does not, many states require two credible witnesses, each producing their own identification.
Some states set additional conditions, such as requiring the witness to swear that the signer has no acceptable ID and could not reasonably obtain one. Because the rules differ this much, the number you need is a question for the notary performing the act, not a general answer.
What a credible witness is not
A credible witness is not a subscribing or attesting witness. If your document requires witnesses to the signing itself — as wills and some deeds do — those are a different role with a different purpose, and they sign the document. A credible witness does not sign the document at all; they sign the notary's journal where state law requires it.
They are also not a substitute for the signer appearing. The signer still has to be present, in person or in an authorised video session. The witness supplies identity, nothing else.
How this works in an online notarization
Remote online notarization usually identifies signers through credential analysis of an ID plus knowledge-based authentication, which means the no-ID case has to be handled differently. Where a state permits credible witnesses in a RON session, the witness joins the same video call and is identified by the platform in the same way the signer would be.
Not every state allows it remotely, and not every platform supports it. If the signer has no usable ID, raise it before booking rather than at the start of the session — it determines whether an online notarization is possible at all.
Common questions
- Can a family member be a credible witness?
- Often yes, provided they have no interest in the document. A relative who inherits under the will, or who is a party to the agreement being signed, is disqualified in most states. A relative with no stake in the transaction is usually acceptable, but some states exclude relatives outright, so confirm with the notary.
- How many credible witnesses do I need?
- It depends on your state and on whether the notary already knows the witness. One is commonly enough when the notary personally knows them; two are commonly required when the notary does not, each with their own photo ID. Ask the notary before the appointment.
- Does a credible witness sign the document?
- No. They are vouching for identity, not witnessing the signing. They are identified by the notary, take an oath about who the signer is, and sign the notary's journal where the state requires it. Witnesses who sign the document itself are a separate role your form would specify.
- Can I use a credible witness for an online notarization?
- Only where your state permits it and the platform supports it. Remote sessions normally establish identity through credential analysis and knowledge-based authentication, so a no-ID signer is an exception that has to be arranged in advance rather than discovered mid-session.
Related terms
Witness
A person who watches you sign and signs the document too. Some documents (wills, some deeds) need one or two witnesses in addition to the notary; the notary can sometimes act as one. Requirements are set by state law, so check the requirements page for your document.
Satisfactory evidence of identity
The legal standard a notary must meet before notarizing: a current government-issued photo ID, a credible witness, or personal knowledge, depending on the state.
Personally known
One way a notary can identify a signer: the notary already knows the person well enough to be certain of their identity, so no ID is checked. Not available in remote online notarization, which always requires ID.
Identity proofing
The identity checks a remote notary performs before a video session: credential analysis of your ID plus knowledge-based questions drawn from public records. Both must pass.
General notary practice, not legal advice — rules on identification, witnesses and which documents may be notarized online are set by each state. See the requirements page for your state, or browse the full notary glossary.
The notary guides cover where to get a document notarized and what each option will and will not handle, the FAQs explain how a session runs, and the document guides cover specific paperwork. When you are ready, start a session.