Contact Information
Notary Public Unit
Secretary of State
P.O. Box 13375
Austin, Texas 78711-3375
Appointment and Commissioning
To become a notary in Texas, you must:
Be 18 years of age or older.
Be a legal resident of the State of Texas.
Have no criminal convictions or felonies.
A Texas notary public is required to maintain a record book. This record book must be maintained whether or not any fees are charged for your notary public service. The following information must be included in the record book:
the date of each instrument notarized;
the date of the notarization;
the name of the signer, grantor, or maker;
the signer’s, grantor’s, or maker’s residence or alleged residence;
whether the signer, grantor, or maker is personally known by the notary public, was identified by an identification card issued by a United States federal or state governmental agency or a passport issued by the United States, or was introduced to the notary public and, if introduced, the name and residence or alleged residence of the individual introducing the signer, grantor, or maker;
if the instrument is proved by a witness, the residence of the witness, whether the witness is personally known by the notary public or was introduced to the notary public and, if introduced, the name and residence of the individual introducing the witness;
the name and residence of the grantee;
if land is conveyed or charged by the instrument, the name of the original grantee and the county where the land is located; and
a brief description of the instrument.