Notary Tips

A Texas notary is a public office appointed by the Texas Secretary of State to serve the public as an impartial witness to signing of documents. Having a document notarized by a Texas notary protects the integrity of the transaction. For example, properly notarized documents can bind individuals to an agreement indefinitely,

It happens all the time. You get the call for a notary job and the person who’s arranging the appointment is NOT the person who will be signing the documents. Their mom is in the hospital and needs a POA. Their dad is in the nursing home and wants to transfer property with a quitclaim deed . The person requiring the service has entrusted someone else with the responsibility of securing your services. When this happens, follow these three tips to ensure that the signing goes smoothly:

To become a Texas notary, an individual must meet the eligibility requirements (i.e., be over the age 18 and a state resident) and complete and submit a signed notary application Form #2301 (Application for Appointment as Texas Notary Public). Along with the form, applicants must submit proof of a $10,000 notary bond and a $21.00 application fee.

It is inexpensive and straightforward to become a Texas notary. It costs less than $100 for a four-year term to become a notary in Texas. This includes the state application fee, the four-year, $10,000 Texas notary bond, your notary stamp, notary journal, and shipping fee. The American Association of Notaries is one-stop-shop for all your notary needs.

Here is a breakdown of the cost to become a Texas notary:

Texas Notaries hold a variety of responsibilities including taking acknowledgments, administering oaths, certifying copies of nonpublic records, and other duties authorized by Texas law. If you are ready to become a Texas notary, the information listed below will guide you through the Texas notary application process.

Becoming a Texas notary is a noteworthy undertaking. There are many reasons why a person may apply to become a Texas notary. Some become Texas notaries to broaden their professional credentials and skills for employment. Others become Texas notaries at the request of an employer or as a service to their business clients. Law firms, shipping centers, banks, and post offices are a few of the many types of businesses that have notaries on staff.

Becoming a notary in Texas is a straight forward process. The simplest way to become a Texas notary is to choose an organization that can handle submitting your notary application to the state, issue a notary bond in the amount of $10,000 as required by the state, manufacture your notary supplies once you are approved as a Texas notary and be around to help you maintain your notary commission (if you ever need to update your name due to a marriage or divorce or to update your address) and to help you answer questions related to notary laws during your four-year notary term.

Over four million people in the United States (over 400,000 in Texas alone!) are notaries public. A common impression among most people is that a Texas notary is just someone who “witnesses” or “verifies” signatures. However, a Texas notary’s duties are a lot more complicated than that. Here is a more complete description:

Compared to other states, Texas has few eligibility requirements to become a notary. Any applicant wishing to become a Texas notary must meet only three qualifications: