1.2 Application Process

Texas Notary Application Process

The path to a Texas commission changed materially under Senate Bill 693 (SB 693). For any application filed on or after January 1, 2026, you must complete the Secretary of State (SOS) education course and pass its exam before the SOS will issue a commission. Everything is filed electronically through the SOS Notary Public Portal; the office does not accept paper applications for traditional notaries.

The Application at a Glance

Step 1: Education and Exam (SB 693)

The statutory course runs up to two hours and is delivered directly by the Secretary of State. After the course you take an open-book exam of 20 multiple-choice questions; you need 70% (14 of 20) to pass. Private and third-party "Texas notary courses" do not satisfy SB 693 — only the SOS course counts. Save your completion confirmation, because the portal will check it before letting you file.

Step 2: Obtain the $10,000 Surety Bond

Here is the timing trap most candidates miss: in Texas the bond is obtained as part of filing, not after approval. You give Form 2301-B to a Texas-licensed surety or bonding agency; the company completes and signs it, you sign it, and you upload the signed bond with your application. A commission is not issued until the SOS has the bond on file.

What the Bond Actually Protects

The bond protects the public, not the notary. If your notarial misconduct or negligence injures someone, they can claim against the bond up to $10,000 — and the surety will then seek reimbursement from you. It is not insurance for your own defense. Notaries who want personal protection buy separate errors-and-omissions (E&O) coverage, which is optional and not required by Texas.

Worked example: A notary negligently notarizes a forged deed and a buyer loses $8,000. The buyer claims against the bond; the surety pays the $8,000, then bills the notary to recover it. The notary's own attorney fees are not covered — that is what E&O would address.

Step 3: Complete Form 2301 and the Oath

The traditional application is Form 2301, completed in the portal. You provide your full legal name (exactly as you want it on the commission), Texas residential address, contact information, and answers to the criminal-history questions. Form 2301 also contains the oath / Statement of Officer: you swear, under penalty of perjury, that the statements are true and that you did not pay or promise anything of value to secure the appointment. In Texas there is no separate trip to a county clerk to take the oath for a traditional commission — the oath is built into the application.

Enter your name carefully: the name on the commission becomes the name that must appear on your seal, and a mismatch forces a re-order.

Step 4: Pay the $21 Filing Fee

Steps 5–7: Review, Commission, and Tools

The SOS reviews the application, confirms the bond and the education completion, and runs the background check. Once approved, the commission is effective on the date you qualify (a properly completed, bonded application). Only after the commission issues do you buy your official seal and your record book and begin performing notarizations. Buying the seal first is wasted money if your name or commission dates differ from what you ordered.

Keep Your Information Current

If you move or change your name during the term, you must update the SOS promptly (a name change requires a new seal reflecting the corrected name). Failing to maintain accurate records or to notify the SOS is now grounds for discipline under the expanded "good cause" standard added by SB 693.

Exam Focus Points

• Education/exam come first for filings on/after Jan 1, 2026
• The signed $10,000 bond is uploaded WITH Form 2301, not after approval
• The oath is inside Form 2301 — no county-clerk oath ceremony
• State filing fee is $21; all filing is online through the SOS portal
• The bond protects the public; E&O protects the notary