New Texas Notary Laws Effective September 1, 2025
Big changes are coming for Texas notaries on September 1, 2025, with the implementation of Senate Bill 693. This law imposes stricter penalties for performing a notarization without the signer’s personal appearance before the notary at the time of notarization and introduces a longer record retention requirement. Together, these updates set new requirements for personal appearance and record retention.
Below is a recap of the new changes, highlighting what every Texas notary needs to know to stay compliant.
1. Criminal Penalty for Notarizing Without the Signer’s Presence
It is a Class A misdemeanor if a Texas notary public performs a notarization knowing that the signer, grantor, maker, or principal for whom the notarization is performed did not personally appear before them at the time the notarization was executed.
However, if the document being notarized involves the transfer of real property or any interest in real property, the offence is a state jail felony.
2. New Notary Record Retention Requirement
Texas notaries must keep their notarial records for 10 years from the date of the notarization. Failure to maintain these records may constitute good cause for the secretary of state to reject an application or suspend or revoke a notary public’s commission.
Upholding the integrity of your notarial acts is essential to protecting the public and maintaining trust in the office of notary public.
We encourage you to click here to read Senate Bill 693.
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