Office of the Texas Secretary of State, Notary Public Unit commissions notaries public in Texas. Every figure below is verified against the commissioning authority’s own official pages and dated.
What it’s called
The statutory noun is ’notary public’ (Tex. Gov’t Code ch. 406) and Texas issues a notary public COMMISSION, not a ’notary license’. The Secretary of State calls the holder ‘a public officer of the state commissioned by the Office of the Texas Secretary of State,’ and its educational materials call a notary ‘a public servant with statewide jurisdiction’ and ‘an officer of the State of Texas.’ Folk terms: ’notary license’, ’notary certification’ and ’notary registration’ are used by the public for the same commission; the Secretary of State does not use them. ‘Remote online notary (RON)’ is the SOS’s own informal label in its FAQs for the statutory ‘Online Notary Public’. ‘Notary signing agent’ / ’loan signing agent’ is a private, vendor-issued credential, not a Texas commission type - it appears nowhere in ch. 406 or on the SOS notary pages searched 2026-08-12. The Spanish phrase ’notario publico’ does NOT name a Texas notary public: the SOS FAQ states that a notary advertising in a language other than English must include the notice ‘I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW IN TEXAS AND MAY NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR ACCEPT FEES FOR LEGAL ADVICE’ and that ‘Use of the phrase “notario publico” is prohibited.’
Types of notary commission
- Traditional Notary Public — Anyone qualifying under Gov’t Code ch. 406, Subchapter A who notarizes paper (tangible) documents for the public. SOS: ‘A Traditional Notary Public is a public officer of the state commissioned by the Office of the Texas Secretary of State that administers oaths, takes acknowledgments, witness(es) signatures, and performs other duties as permitted by law, for paper (tangible) documents.’ Application is Form 2301, $21.00 (sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notaryforms.shtml).
- Online Notary Public (remote online notarization / RON) — A notary public (or applicant) who also wants to notarize by two-way audio-video for remotely located signers. Separate commission and separate application (Form 2301ON, $50.00). Gov’t Code 406.105-406.107; the online commission’s term runs concurrently with the traditional commission (SOS FAQ). No second bond is required (SOS FAQ: ‘Do online notaries public need to obtain a bond in addition to the bond required to be a traditional notary? No.’).
- State Employee Notary Public (notary without bond) — Employees of a Texas state agency or university notarizing only for their agency. SOS: ‘State Employee Notaries cannot notarize for the public and can only perform notarizations for their state agency.’ Application fee $11.00, paid by interagency voucher (ITV). Gov’t Code 406.010(f) exempts a person whose notary services are performed primarily as a state officer or employee from the bond requirement.
- Electronic notarization (eNotarization) - NOT a separate commission — Any traditional Texas notary notarizing an electronic document with the signer physically present. SOS FAQ: ‘An electronic notarization is not the same as a remote online notarization… both the notary public performing the notarization and the person signing the document must be physically present at the time of the notarization. Electronic notarizations are authorized by the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act found in Chapter 322 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code.’ No separate registration is described for it.
Who can be commissioned
Gov’t Code 406.004(a): ‘Each person appointed and commissioned as a notary public shall be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the State of Texas and must not have been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude.’ The SOS restates this and adds parenthetically that crimes of moral turpitude include ’theft, various misdemeanors.’ Under 406.009(e) a dismissal with discharge before adjudication of guilt, and a finding of guilt that has been set aside, may not be counted as a conviction. Two official SOS pages describe the background check differently and both are recorded here: the Notary Public page states ‘The Office runs background checks on all notary applicants,’ while the Forms & Fees page states ‘Random background investigations are performed on notary applicants.’ If the SOS discovers at any time that an applicant or a commissioned notary is not eligible, it must reject the application or revoke the commission (406.004(b)). No U.S. citizenship requirement, no employment nexus and no English-language requirement appears in ch. 406 Subchapter A, on the SOS eligibility page, or in the SOS notary FAQs (all searched 2026-08-12). Applicants with convictions may be required to submit copies of the court order and sentencing paperwork plus a written statement describing the nature, circumstance, date and location of each conviction.
Requirements
Traditional commission, in the order the Secretary of State publishes it (sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notary-public.shtml): (1) meet the eligibility requirements (18+, Texas resident, no disqualifying conviction); (2) complete the Notary Education Requirement through the SOS Notary Portal - the course is established and offered only by the Secretary of State ($20.00, non-refundable, must be finished within 90 days of payment; four videos that cannot be skipped, then a timed 30-minute Notary Education Assessment that must be passed); (3) obtain proof of a $10,000 notary public surety bond from a Texas licensed bonding company on Form 2301-B, which ‘must be completed by a licensed surety bond agency’; (4) submit Form 2301 in the SOS Notary Portal with the $21.00 filing fee (paper applications only on request to [email protected] ); (5) if approved, download the commission from the Portal and sign it under oath before another notary or authorized official - SOS: ‘A notary public cannot execute their own commission.’ Gov’t Code 406.006 states qualification is by properly completing the application form, executing the statement of officers, providing the bond if required, paying the required filing fees, meeting the eligibility requirements, and successfully completing the education requirements under 406.023. Online notary (RON): the same steps, plus obtain an x.509-compliant digital certificate and electronic seal from a third-party company, complete the separate Online Notary Education course ($20.00), and file Form 2301ON ($50.00).
Training
Texas requires a training course.
Required for every applicant and every renewing notary applying on or after January 1, 2026. S.B. 693 SECTION 9 provides “This Act takes effect September 1, 2025”, but SECTION 8 limits who it reaches: “The change in law made by this Act applies only to an application for a notary public appointment or reappointment submitted on or after January 1, 2026. An application submitted before January 1, 2026, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.” So the Act’s EFFECTIVE date is September 1, 2025 and the duty ATTACHES to applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026 (quoted from the enrolled bill, capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB00693F.HTM, read 2026-08-13). S.B. 693 (89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 298), effective September 1, 2025, added Gov’t Code 406.006(6) (qualification includes ‘successfully completing the education requirements established under Section 406.023’) and 406.023(d), which directs the Secretary of State to adopt rules establishing education for appointment and continuing education for reappointment. Statutory limits in 406.023(d): the rules ‘may not require a person to complete more than two hours of education for appointment or two hours of continuing education for reappointment’; the SOS must establish and offer the courses and may charge a reasonable fee; the required hours ‘may only be completed through a course established and offered by the secretary of state’; and the rules may not require a person appointed as a notary public before September 1, 2025 to complete the initial-appointment education. Delivery, per the SOS application guide (Revised 12/16/2025): the course is taken in the SOS Notary Portal, costs $20.00 (non-refundable; a separate Online Notary Education course carries its own $20.00 fee), ‘must be completed within 90 days from the date of payment,’ and consists of four videos that cannot be skipped followed by the Notary Education Assessment. The adopted hour count and passing standard sit in 1 TAC ch. 87, which could not be retrieved; the SOS notary page carries a standing notice that it ‘is updating the Texas Administrative Code to align with the educational requirements for submitting a Texas Notary Public application.’
Exam
Texas requires an exam.
Texas has no standalone notary licensing examination, but an assessment inside the Secretary of State’s own education course must be passed. It applies to applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026. SOS application guide (Revised 12/16/2025): ‘All applicants and renewing notaries must successfully pass the education requirement established and offered by the Secretary of State’s office before you may renew or apply as a Texas notary public,’ and, after watching four videos, ‘You must complete the assessment within 30 minutes. Failure to complete the assessment within the required timeframe will result in potentially failing of the assessment… Upon completion of the assessment, you will be notified of the passing or unsuccessful attempt at completing the education requirement.’ Administered by the Secretary of State through the SOS Notary Portal; there is no separate exam fee published - the charge is the $20.00 course fee. A numeric passing score is not published on sos.state.tx.us (Notary Public page, Forms & Fees, Notary FAQs and both application guides searched 2026-08-12); the SOS says only that failing to click Submit ‘will result with a 0 score and you will forfeit the attempt to complete the educational requirement.’ 1 TAC ch. 87, where a passing standard would be set, was not retrievable.
Your surety bond
A $10,000 surety bond is required of traditional and online notaries. Gov’t Code 406.010(a): ‘Each person to be appointed a notary public shall, before entering the official duties of office, execute a bond in the amount of $10,000 with a solvent surety company authorized to do business in this state as a surety. The bond must be approved by the secretary of state, payable to the governor, and conditioned on the faithful performance of the duties of office.’ The bond is deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, ‘is not void on first recovery, and may be sued on in the name of the injured party from time to time until the whole amount of the bond is recovered’ (406.010(b)). Proof is filed on SOS Form 2301-B, which ‘must be completed by a licensed surety bond agency.’ Exemption: 406.010(f) - subsections (a) and (b) ‘do not apply to a person whose services as a notary public are performed primarily as a state officer or employee’ (the State Employee Notary Public type). Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance is NOT required and is a different product - SOS FAQ: ‘Is an “Errors and Omission” policy the same as a notary surety bond? No. Errors and Omission policies are additional insurance purchased by the notary to protect the notary, and not the public.’ A second bond is NOT required for the online (RON) commission (SOS FAQ). Separately from the bond, the notary must take the official oath of office required by Art. XVI, Sec. 1, Texas Constitution, sworn or affirmed before another notary or person authorized to administer oaths; ‘A notary public cannot execute his or her own oath of office’ (406.010(c)-(d)).
Fees
State fees, from the Secretary of State’s published Forms & Fees schedule (sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notaryforms.shtml, read 2026-08-12): Notary Education Course (non-refundable) $20.00 for Traditional Notary Education and $20.00 for Online Notary Education; Form 2301 Application to Become a Traditional Notary Public $21.00 ($11.00 for State Employee Notaries Public); Form 2301ON Application to Become an Online Notary Public $50.00 for all applicants; Form 2305 Name Change Request $20.00 ($10.00 for state employees); Request for a Replacement Commission $10.00. The $21.00 traditional fee equals the statutory components in Gov’t Code 406.007: ‘$10 for approving and filing the bond of the notary public, if required’, ‘$1 to be appropriated to and used by the secretary of state only for hiring an investigator and for preparing and distributing the materials’, and ‘a fee of $10 for a notary public commission.’ The $50.00 online fee is set by the SOS under 406.105(d) (‘The secretary of state may charge a fee for an application submitted under this section in an amount necessary to administer this subchapter’), so there is no fixed statutory amount to conflict with. Not state-set: the surety bond premium (paid to a private bonding company), the seal or stamp (bought from a vendor), and the RON digital certificate and electronic seal (bought from a third party; SOS: ‘Our Office cannot advise, or recommend which platform or company to use for this service’). No county recording or county qualification fee is published for Texas notaries - the Secretary of State issues the commission and holds the bond (406.008(a), 406.010(b), 406.012).
How long the commission lasts, and renewing it
- Gov’t Code 406.002: ‘The term of a notary public expires four years after the date the notary public qualifies.’ The term therefore runs from qualification, not from the filing date; 406.008(a) provides that ‘The commission is effective as of the date of qualification.’ A notary not reappointed on or before the expiration of the current term ‘will be appointed for a new term expiring four years from the date of qualification’ (406.011(b)). An online notary’s term ‘runs concurrently with the term of that notary’s traditional commission’ (SOS Notary FAQ). Reappointment on a new application, not renewal of the existing commission. Gov’t Code 406.011(a): ‘Not earlier than 90 days prior to the expiration date of the notary’s term, a notary public may apply for reappointment on submission of a new application to the secretary of state’ - so 90 days is the early-filing window. No grace period is published; a notary not reappointed by the expiration date simply receives a new four-year term dated from the new qualification (406.011(b)). Since September 1, 2025, 406.011(c) requires that ‘A notary public who has applied for reappointment must successfully complete the continuing education requirements established under Section 406.023 before being reappointed.’ Renewal is filed in the SOS Notary Portal using the same Form 2301 at $21.00. To keep an online commission the traditional commission must be renewed first, because the online term runs concurrently (SOS FAQ). Continuing education is required for reappointment and is capped at two hours; it applies to reappointment applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026. Gov’t Code 406.011(c), added by S.B. 693 (89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 298, eff. Sept. 1, 2025): ‘A notary public who has applied for reappointment must successfully complete the continuing education requirements established under Section 406.023 before being reappointed.’ Gov’t Code 406.023(d)(1) provides that the rules ‘may not require a person to complete more than two hours of education for appointment or two hours of continuing education for reappointment,’ and 406.023(d)(3) requires that the hours ‘may only be completed through a course established and offered by the secretary of state.’ The SOS charges $20.00 for the course (Forms & Fees) and its application guide states ‘All applicants and renewing notaries must successfully pass the education requirement.’ The exact adopted hour figure and passing standard sit in 1 TAC ch. 87, which the SOS says it is ‘updating… to align with the educational requirements’ of SB 693 and which could not be retrieved.
Your seal or stamp
A seal is required and its contents are fixed by statute. Gov’t Code 406.013(a): the seal must ‘clearly show, when embossed, stamped, or printed on a document, the words “Notary Public, State of Texas” around a star of five points, the notary public’s name, the notary public’s identifying number, and the date the notary public’s commission expires,’ and ‘The notary public shall authenticate all official acts with the seal of office.’ Shape and size, 406.013(b): ‘The seal may be a circular form not more than two inches in diameter or a rectangular form not more than one inch in width and 2-1/2 inches in length. The seal must have a serrated or milled edge border.’ Embosser or stamp are both allowed - 406.013(c): ‘The seal must be affixed by a seal press or stamp that embosses or prints a seal that legibly reproduces the required elements of the seal under photographic methods. An indelible ink pad must be used for affixing by a stamp the impression of a seal.’ Subsection (c) does not apply to an electronically transmitted authenticated document, which must still legibly reproduce the required elements (406.013(d)). A notary ‘may not provide a copy of the notary public’s seal to another person’ or affix it to any document except to authenticate an official act (406.013(e)). Online notaries authenticate electronic documents with the electronic seal and tangible documents with the 406.013 seal of office (406.109(f)). Expiry: SOS FAQ - ‘When the commission of a notary public expires, and you do not wish to renew your commission, the notary seal should be destroyed to prevent possible misuse by another individual,’ and the same applies on surrender or revocation. Name change: Form 2305 with a rider or endorsement from the surety company and a $20.00 filing fee; the SOS states ‘You are not required to update your name; however, it is highly suggested.’ An online notary whose commission terminates must destroy the coding, disk, certificate, card, software or password enabling the electronic signature or seal and certify compliance to the SOS, unless recommissioned with the same signature and seal within three months (406.112).
Keeping a journal
Texas requires a notary journal.
Required by statute. Gov’t Code 406.014(a): ‘A notary public other than a court clerk notarizing instruments for the court shall keep in a book a record of’ the date of each instrument notarized; the date of the notarization; the name of the signer, grantor or maker; that person’s mailing address; whether that person is personally known to the notary, was identified by a government-issued identification card or a U.S. passport, or was introduced (and if introduced, the introducer’s name and mailing address); for an instrument proved by a witness, the witness’s mailing address and how the witness was identified; the name and mailing address of the grantee; if land is conveyed or charged, the name of the original grantee and the county where the land is located; and a brief description of the instrument. Records may be kept electronically ‘in a computer or other storage device’ (406.014(e)), and the notary may record the expiration date of an ID or passport presented (406.014(f)). Retention: ‘A notary public shall retain the records required by Subsection (a) until the 10th anniversary of the date of notarization’ (406.014(g)). Entries are public information and the notary must, on payment of all fees, provide a certified copy of any record to any person requesting it (406.014(b)-(c)); the SOS FAQ adds that the notary must respond to a written request within ten business days of receiving the fees. Exceptions: a court clerk notarizing instruments for the court, and an oath administered under Art. 45A.101, Code of Criminal Procedure (406.014(a), (d)). Failure to maintain records under 406.014 is ‘good cause’ for suspension or revocation (406.009(d)(6)). Surrender: the SOS FAQ states that when a commission expires, is surrendered or is revoked, ‘The notary should turn in their notary record book to their local county clerk’s office.’ Online notarizations are recorded separately under 406.108 - see ron_detail - and kept at least five years.
Online (remote) notarization
Texas authorizes remote online notarization, and it requires a registration separate from your commission.
Remote online notarization is authorized and requires a SEPARATE commission from the Secretary of State. Authorizing act: H.B. 1217, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 340, which added Gov’t Code ch. 406, Subchapter C (Online Notary Public), effective July 1, 2018. Amended by S.B. 1780, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 258, effective January 1, 2024, which extended online notarization to tangible documents signed with a tangible symbol (406.101(1-a), 406.1103) and revised 406.108-406.110. Registration: a notary public or an applicant for appointment ‘may apply to the secretary of state to be appointed and commissioned as an online notary public’ (406.105(a)); qualification requires satisfying the Subchapter A requirements, paying the application fee, and electronically submitting an application stating the name to be used, a certification that the applicant will comply with the SOS standards adopted under 406.104, and an e-mail address (406.105(b)-(c)). Extra fee: Form 2301ON, $50.00 (SOS Forms & Fees), plus a separate $20.00 Online Notary Education course. No second surety bond (SOS FAQ). Technology: Texas publishes no approved-vendor list - the applicant must obtain an x.509-compliant digital certificate and an electronic seal from a third-party company, which per the SOS FAQ must meet the standards ‘defined in 1 TAC 87.4,’ and the SOS ‘cannot make recommendations, or provide a list of companies to choose from’; an expired or invalid seal or certificate must be replaced and a copy provided to the SOS within ten days. Identity of the signer is verified by the notary’s personal knowledge or by all three of remote presentation of a government-issued credential bearing signature and photograph, credential analysis, and identity proofing (406.110(b)). The signer need not be in Texas: an online notary may act ‘regardless of whether the principal is physically located in this state at the time of the online notarization’ (406.110(a)). The notarial certificate ‘must include a notation that the notarization is an online notarization and must indicate if the signature was a tangible symbol or an electronic signature’ (406.110(d)). Recordkeeping: a secure electronic record of each online notarization, including ‘a recording of any video and audio conference that is the basis for satisfactory evidence of identity’ and the fee charged, ‘maintained for at least five years after the date of the transaction or proceeding’ (406.108(a), (c)); the SOS FAQ states the same five years. Fee: up to $25 per online notarization in addition to the 406.024 fees (406.111). Term: runs concurrently with the traditional commission (SOS FAQ).
What you may charge
Yes - Texas caps notarial fees by statute. Gov’t Code 406.024(a), reproduced with identical amounts in the Secretary of State’s own educational materials (sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/edinfo.shtml): protesting a bill or note for nonacceptance or nonpayment, register and seal, $4; each notice of protest, $1; protesting in all other cases, $4; certificate and seal to a protest, $4; taking the acknowledgment or proof of a deed or other instrument in writing, for registration, including certificate and seal, $10 for the first signature and $1 for each additional signature; administering an oath or affirmation with certificate and seal, $10; a certificate under seal not otherwise provided for, $10; a copy of a record or paper in the notary’s office, $1 per page; taking the deposition of a witness, $1 for each 100 words; swearing a witness to a deposition, certificate, seal and other business connected with taking the deposition, $10; and a notarial act not provided for, $10. Under 406.024(b) a notary ‘may charge a fee only for an acknowledgment or official act under Subsection (a)’ and the fee ‘may not exceed the fee authorized by Subsection (a).’ Online notarization: an additional fee ‘in an amount not to exceed $25 for performing an online notarization in addition to any other fees authorized under Section 406.024’ (406.111). Since H.B. 255 (2023), 406.024(c) provides that ‘Once every five years, the secretary of state shall adjust the fees provided under Subsection (a)’ for CPI inflation; as of 2026-08-12 the SOS’s published fee table still shows the unadjusted statutory amounts, so no adjustment is reflected yet. The SOS warns that a notary who charges more than the maximum ‘subjects the notary to possible criminal prosecution and suspension or revocation of the notary’s notary public commission.’ No travel-fee provision appears in 406.024, in the SOS educational materials, or in the SOS notary FAQs (all searched 2026-08-12). Related duties quoted by the SOS: Gov’t Code 603.008 requires the notary to keep the authorized fee list posted conspicuously, 603.006 requires a fee book, and 603.007 requires the fees to be itemized.
Who does NOT need a commission — exemptions
Who may take acknowledgments in Texas WITHOUT a notary commission, per Civil Practice and Remedies Code 121.001(a): a clerk of a district court; a judge or clerk of a county court; a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of the county tax assessor-collector if the instrument is required or authorized to be filed in that office; and an employee of a personal bond office where authorized by Art. 17.04, Code of Criminal Procedure. Outside Texas but inside the United States or its territories: a clerk of a court of record having a seal, or a commissioner of deeds appointed under Texas law (121.001(b)). Outside the United States: listed U.S. diplomatic and consular officers, or a notary or other official authorized to administer oaths in that jurisdiction (121.001(c)). Military: CPRC 121.001(d) - ‘A commissioned officer of the United States Armed Forces or of a United States Armed Forces Auxiliary may take an acknowledgment or proof of a written instrument of a member of the armed forces, a member of an armed forces auxiliary, or a member’s spouse,’ and failure to attach an official seal does not invalidate it. (This is the Texas-law military authority; the parallel federal authority at 10 U.S.C. 1044a was not fetched when this page was last verified and is not asserted here.) Gov’t Code 406.016(a) frames a notary’s authority as ’the same authority as the county clerk’ to take acknowledgments or proofs, protest instruments, administer oaths, take depositions and certify copies of documents not recordable in the public records. Duty exemptions inside the commission: a court clerk notarizing instruments for the court need not keep the record book, and an oath administered under Art. 45A.101, Code of Criminal Procedure, need not be recorded (406.014(a), (d)); a notary whose services are performed primarily as a state officer or employee is exempt from the bond (406.010(f)). Tiers searched on 2026-08-12: Gov’t Code ch. 406 (full chapter text), Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code ch. 121, the SOS Notary Public page, the SOS Forms & Fees page, the SOS Notary FAQs and the SOS educational materials. 1 TAC ch. 87 could not be retrieved.
How to apply
Applications are handled by Office of the Texas Secretary of State, Notary Public Unit. Start at the official application page .
Verify a license in Texas
Office of the Texas Secretary of State publishes a public license search , searchable by not enumerable - the search is a JavaScript portal whose fields are not present in the served page (see below). It covers The Secretary of State links this as ‘Notary Public Search’ from both its Notary Public page and its Forms & Fees page. The portal is an Appian JavaScript application: a plain fetch and a rendered fetch both returned a shell with a CAPTCHA warning on 2026-08-12, so the available search fields and the result fields could not be enumerated. The SOS also publishes a bulk ‘Listing of Texas Notaries Public’ on the Texas Open Data Portal at https://data.texas.gov/dataset/Texas-Notary-Public-Commissions/bbqf-392i (that dataset’s API returned HTTP 403 to our fetch on 2026-08-12).
Records come from Office of the Texas Secretary of State’s own system. LicensingAtlas does not hold license records and cannot confirm any individual’s status — the date on this page refers to the requirements described above, not to anyone’s credential.