Commission + Eligibility
20%of exam
Acts + Identity
30%of exam
Records + Seals
20%of exam
Online + Electronic
15%of exam
Ethics + Penalties
15%of exam
Quick Facts
- Agency
- Texas SOS
- Term
- 4 years
- Jurisdiction
- Statewide Texas
- Minimum age
- 18 years
- Residency
- Texas resident
- Bond
- $10,000
- Education
- SOS course
- Course fee
- $20
- Passing
- 70% course questions
SOS Course
Two hours, SOS only, 70 percent.
2 hoursSOS only$2070%
Commission Picker
- New applicant→SOS education(First)
- Renewing commission→Continuing education
- State employee→Bond exemption(If primary duty)
- Name changed→Rider plus filing
- Address changed→Notify SOS(10 days)
- Leaving Texas→Office vacated
Eligibility
- Age
- At least 18
- Residency
- Texas resident
- Citizenship
- Not required
- Felony
- Disqualifying conviction
- Moral turpitude
- Disqualifying conviction
- State employee
- Bond may be exempt
- SOS
- Appoints notaries
Application
- Portal
- SOS Notary Portal
- Education first
- Required before commission
- Course provider
- Secretary of State only
- Course length
- Maximum two hours
- Course fee
- $20 per attempt
- Completion proof
- Valid one year
- Reappointment
- Continuing education required
Bond + Oath
- Bond amount
- $10,000
- Bond purpose
- Protects public
- Surety
- Texas-authorized company
- Oath
- Before duties begin
- Self-oath
- Never allowed
- Term
- Four years
- Vacancy
- Leave Texas residence
Ack Jurat
Ack admits; jurat swears.
AckAdmitJuratSwear
Ack vs Jurat
Acknowledgment
- Identity verified
- Signature acknowledged
- No oath needed
Jurat
- Identity verified
- Oath administered
- Signed before notary
Oath means jurat
Act Picker
- Signer admits signature→Acknowledgment
- Truth sworn→Jurat
- No religion wording→Affirmation
- Witness answers questions→Deposition
- Dishonored note→Protest
- Non-recordable copy→Certified copy
Notarial Acts
- Acknowledgment
- Signature admitted
- Jurat
- Sworn and signed
- Oath
- Truth promise
- Affirmation
- Secular truth promise
- Deposition
- Sworn testimony
- Protest
- Negotiable instrument
- Copy certification
- Non-recordable documents
Identity
- Personal appearance
- Required every time
- Physical appearance
- Traditional and IPEN
- Online appearance
- Two-way audio-video
- Personal knowledge
- Notary knows signer
- Government ID
- Current photo credential
- Credible witness
- No transaction benefit
- Duress
- Refuse notarization
Certificates
- Venue
- State and county
- Date
- Notarization date
- Principal
- Signer or oath-taker
- Act type
- Certificate wording
- Signature
- Commission name
- Seal
- Authenticates official act
- Online statement
- RON certificate required
Seal Stars
Texas seal needs name, ID, date.
StarNameIDExpiration
Bond vs E&O
Surety bond
- Required
- Protects public
- Notary reimburses surety
E&O insurance
- Optional
- Protects notary
- Pays covered claims
Bond is not insurance
Record Book
- Required
- Every notarization
- Retention
- 10 years
- Public information
- Certified copies available
- Document date
- Record required
- Notarization date
- Record required
- Signer address
- Record required
- ID numbers
- Do not record
Record vs Fee Book
Record book
- Required for acts
- Public information
- 10-year retention
Fee book
- Tracks fees
- If charging fees
- Separate or combined
Journal records acts
Seal
- Required words
- Notary Public, State of Texas
- Star
- Five points
- Name
- Commissioned name
- Notary ID
- Required on seal
- Expiration
- Commission end date
- Round size
- Maximum two inches
- Rectangle size
- 1 by 2.5 inches
Fees
- Acknowledgment
- $10 first signature
- Extra signature
- $1 each
- Oath
- $10
- Certificate
- $10
- Record copy
- $1 per page
- Online surcharge
- Up to $25
- Fee posting
- Conspicuous schedule required
RON Stack
Remote needs video, identity, certificate, seal.
VideoProofingX.509E-seal
RON vs IPEN
RON
- Remote appearance
- Audio-video required
- Online commission required
IPEN
- Physical appearance
- Electronic document
- Traditional rules apply
Remote requires RON
RON Picker
- Signer remote→RON(Audio-video)
- Signer present, e-doc→IPEN
- Paper document→Traditional notarization
- Need e-signature→Digital certificate
- Need identity check→Credential analysis
- Online record→Electronic journal
RON
- Prerequisite
- Traditional commission
- Application
- Electronic SOS filing
- RON fee
- $50 application
- Term
- Same traditional expiration
- Technology
- Two-way audio-video
- Identity proofing
- Third-party verification
- Credential analysis
- ID validity check
Traditional vs Online
Traditional
- Tangible documents
- Physical appearance
- Paper seal allowed
Online
- Electronic process
- Remote appearance
- Digital certificate required
Online adds technology requirements
Digital Tools
- Digital certificate
- X.509 compliant
- PKI
- Required technology
- Electronic seal
- Seal data in document
- Exclusive control
- Notary secures tools
- Replacement notice
- Within 10 days
- Recording
- RON record includes video
- Backup
- Maintain secure copy
Notary vs Attorney
Notary
- Completes certificate
- Verifies identity
- Administers oath
Attorney
- Selects certificate
- Gives legal advice
- Drafts legal documents
Certificate choice is legal advice
Prohibited Acts
- No appearance
- Criminal offense
- Real property
- State jail felony risk
- Legal advice
- Unauthorized practice
- Certificate choice
- Attorney task
- Notario publico
- Prohibited phrase
- Vital records
- Do not certify
- Financial interest
- Avoid notarization
Common Traps
Appearance Trap
Phone call ≠ Personal appearance
Notario Trap
Notario publico ≠ Texas notary
Bond Trap
Notary protection ≠ Public protection
Certificate Trap
Choose wording ≠ Complete wording
Copy Trap
Vital record ≠ Non-recordable copy
RON Trap
Electronic notarization ≠ Online notarization
Fee Trap
Unlimited travel fee ≠ Itemized agreed fee
Last Minute
- 1.Texas SOS appoints; jurisdiction is statewide
- 2.Age 18, Texas resident, clean record
- 3.SB 693: SOS education before appointment
- 4.Course: $20, two hours max, 70%
- 5.Commission term is four years
- 6.$10,000 bond protects public, not notary
- 7.Seal needs star, name, ID, expiration
- 8.Record every notarization; retain 10 years
- 9.Never notarize without personal appearance
- 10.Ack admits signature; jurat adds oath
- 11.Notary cannot choose certificate wording
- 12.RON requires audio-video and X.509 certificate
Buy on Amazon
Take courses on UdemySame family resources
Explore More Notary Public
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
VideoTexas Notary Fees Per Signature in 2026 — FREE GuideThis examVideoTexas Notary Requirements 2026: NEW SB693 RulesThis examVideoAlabama Notary 2026: No Exam, $50K Bond, 4-Year TermVideoArkansas Notary 2026: No Exam, $20 Fee, 10-Year TermArticleTexas Notary Fees Per Signature in 2026 — FREE Guide12 min readArticleTexas Notary Requirements 2026: NEW SB693 Rules14 min readArticleAlabama Notary 2026: No Exam, $50K Bond, 4-Year Term8 min readArticleArkansas Notary 2026: No Exam, $20 Fee, 10-Year Term8 min read