Credible Witness
Also called: identifying witness
An individual personally known to both the notary and the signer who swears under oath, before the notary, that the signer is the person named in the document. A fallback identity-verification method under RULONA § 314 when the signer lacks a qualifying photo ID.
The credible witness must be personally known to the notary (not just known to the signer). This is rare in practice because most notaries don’t have personal relationships with the people they notarize for. Under § 306.1, RON may use credential analysis plus KBA, OR the oath of a credible witness under § 307(b)(2) — most platforms default to the former because credible witnesses are rare in RON practice.
Source: 57 Pa.C.S. § 307(b)(2) — Identification by credible witness
See also: satisfactory-evidence, personal-appearance
This page is educational information, not legal advice. Pennsylvania notary law changes; always verify against the current version of RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331) and 4 Pa. Code at pa.gov. Consult a PA-licensed attorney for specific situations.