Online notary in Texas
Texas allows notarization over live two-way video by a notary the Secretary of State has authorized as an online notary public. You do not need to be physically in Texas, and the notary does not need to meet you in person.
What the law requires
All from Tex. Gov’t Code ch. 406, subch. C:
- Authorization: an online notary is a Texas notary who applied to the Secretary of State and was commissioned for online notarization (§406.105).
- Video: the notarization uses two-way video and audio technology that meets state standards (§406.101, §406.104).
- Identity: the notary must know you, or you show a government-issued ID (such as a passport or driver’s license, with signature and photo) on camera, plus credential analysis and identity proofing (§406.110(b)). The notary does not have to be in the same state as you (§406.110(a)).
- Record: the notary keeps a secure electronic record, including a recording of the video session, for at least five years (§406.108).
- Certificate: the notarial certificate must say it is an online notarization (§406.110(d)).
- Fee: up to $25 for the online notarization, in addition to the regular notary fees (§406.111). See notary fees in Texas.
- Acknowledgments: under the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, personally appearing before the notary can mean appearing by two-way audio and video that meets the online notarization rules (§121.006(c)).
Checking a notary
Commission records are public. Use the Secretary of State notary search.
Services
Notarize, NotaryLive and Notaron each list a $25 base price for one signer. Compare extras (extra seals, signers, witnesses) on our comparison page.
TODO: whether each service charges the additional Texas notary fee on top of its $25 base price; each service's list of document types it will not handle in Texas; and acceptance by specific receiving agencies (courts, county clerks, title companies). Ask the receiving office before you sign.
When online is a bad fit
If the receiving office requires an in-person notarization or its own forms, use a mobile notary or a free in-person option.