Legal Question in Personal Injury in California

The law does not require notarization, but it does allow a party to insist on it as a condition of the settlement.

It is not required by law, however the insurance companies frequently like it be notarized.

Although not required by law, the party making payment may insist on it to obtain proof of an individual's identity. If you are trying to save money on a notary fee, you can ask the other party to pay the notary fee or ask them to allow you to send a copy of your driver's license or come to their office with proper identification to sign the release.

However it is fairly standard practice by insurance companies to insist on a notarized signature, which shouldn't cost more than $20 or so.