CDCR Inmate Identification Card

California Civil Code §1185(b)(3) specifically lists a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) inmate identification card as an acceptable Tier One ID — but only when the person being identified is currently in state prison custody at the time of the notarization. The notary must be performing the act on-site or through authorized access at the correctional facility.

As a Tier One document, the CDCR inmate ID does not need to contain a physical description field. The notary does not need to verify all four Tier Two elements. The document need only be current or issued within five years.

County jail inmate IDs issued by local detention facilities are also listed in §1185(b)(3) under similar conditions. The key qualifier in both cases is that the inmate must be physically in custody at the time of the notarial act — a released inmate's old facility ID is not acceptable identification for a later notarization.

Exam Tip: The CDCR card is Tier One — no physical description required, unlike out-of-state driver's licenses or military IDs. Exam questions sometimes present an inmate scenario alongside questions about Tier Two requirements to see if students know which tier applies.