(a) General provision.—The requirement of authentication or identification as a condition precedent to admissibility is satisfied by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims.
(b) Illustrations.—By way of illustration only, and not by way of limitation, the following are examples of authentication or identification conforming with the requirements of this rule:
(1) Testimony of witness with knowledge.—Testimony that a matter is what it is claimed to be.
(2) Nonexpert opinion on handwriting.—Nonexpert opinion as to the genuineness of handwriting, based upon familiarity not acquired for purposes of the litigation.
(3) Comparison by trier or expert witness.—Comparison by the trier of fact or by expert witnesses with specimens which have been authenticated.
(4) Distinctive characteristics and the like.—Appearance, contents, substance, internal patterns, or other distinctive characteristics, taken in conjunction with circumstances.
(5) Voice identification.—Identification of a voice, whether heard firsthand or through mechanical or electronic transmission or recording, by opinion based upon hearing the voice at any time under circumstances connecting it with the alleged speaker.
(6) Telephone conversations.—Telephone conversations, by evidence that a call was made to the number assigned at the time by the telephone company to a particular person or business, if (A) in the case of a person, circumstances, including self-identification, show the person answering to be the one called, or (B) in the case of a business, the call was made to a place of business and the conversation related to business reasonably transacted over the telephone.
(7) Public records or reports.—Evidence that a writing authorized by law to be recorded or filed and in fact recorded or filed in a public office, or a purported public record, report, statement, or data compilation, in any form, is from the public office where items of this nature are kept.
(8) Ancient documents or data compilation.—Evidence that a document or data compilation, in any form, (A) is in such condition as to create no suspicion concerning its authenticity, (B) was in a place where it, if authentic, would likely be, and (C) has been in existence 20 years or more at the time it is offered.
(9) Process or system.—Evidence describing a process or system used to produce a result and showing that the process or system produces an accurate result.
(10) Methods provided by statute or rule.—Any method of authentication or identification provided by Act of Congress or by other rules prescribed by the Supreme Court pursuant to statutory authority.
added in current removed in current
Compared to current version (2025).
(a) In General provision.-T. To satisfy the requirement of authenticationg or identification as a condition precedent to admissibility is satisfied byying an item of evidence, the proponent must produce evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in questionitem is what itsthe proponent claims it is.
(b) Illustrations.-By way of illustration only, and not by way of limitation, the following are examples of authentication or identification conforming withExamples. The following are examples only-not a complete list-of evidence that satisfies the requirements of this rule:
(1) Testimony of wa Witness with kKnowledge.- Testimony that a matn iterm is what it is claimed to be.
(2) Nonexpert oOpinion on hAbout Handwriting.-N A nonexpert’s opinion as to the genuineness ofthat handwriting is genuine, based upon a familiarity with it that was not acquired for purposes of thethe current litigation.
(3) Comparison by trier or ean Expert wWitness.-Comparison by or the tTrier of fFact or by expert witnesses with specimens which have been authenticated. A comparison with an authenticated specimen by an expert witness or the trier of fact.
(4) Distinctive cCharacteristics and the lLike.-A The appearance, contents, substance, internal patterns, or other distinctive characteristics, taken in conjunction with circumstances.
(5) Voice identification.-Identification of a of the item, taken together with all the circumstances.
(5) Opinion About a Voice. An opinion identifying a person’s voice, -whether heard firsthand or through mechanical or electronic transmission or recording, by opinion -based upon hearing the voice at any time under circumstances that connecting it with the alleged speaker.
(6) Evidence About a Telephone cConversations.-T. For a telephone conversations, by, evidence that a call was made to the number assigned at the time by the telephone company to a particular person or business, if (A) in the case of a person,to:
(A) a particular person, if circumstances, including self-identification, show that the person answering to bewas the one called,; or
(B) in the case of aa particular business, if the call was made to a place of business and the conversationall related to business reasonably transacted over the telephone.
(7) Evidence About Public rRecords or reports.-Evidence that a writing authorized by law to be recorded or filed and in fact. Evidence that:
(A) a document was recorded or filed in a public office, or as authorized by law; or
(B) a purported public record, report, or statement, or data compilation, in any form, is from the public office where items of this naturekind are kept.
(8) Evidence About Ancient dDocuments or dData cCompilation.-Evidence thats. For a document or data compilation, in any form, evidence that it:
(A) is in sucha condition as tothat creates no suspicion concerningabout its authenticity, ;
(B) was in a place where it, if authentic, it would likely be,; and
(C) has been in existence 20 years or more at the time it is offered.
(9)is at least 20 years old when offered.
(9) Evidence About a Process or sSystem.- Evidence describing a process or system used to produce a result and showing that the process or systemand showing that it produces an accurate result.
(10) Methods pProvided by sa Statute or rRule.- Any method of authentication or identification provided by Act of Congress or by otherallowed by a federal statute or a rules prescribed by the Supreme Court pursuant to statutory authority..
(As amended Apr. 26, 2011, eff. Dec. 1, 2011.)