About Notary Public and Apostille Services
Current Processing Times
Lobby Walk-in Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Central Time
Apostille/Authentications – We are currently processing mailed documents received September 5, 2023.
Notary - We are currently processing mailed applications received August 24, 2023. We are currently processing eNotary applications received August 24, 2023.
Notary Quick Links
- Notary Public
- Notary Complaints
- Notary Public Training website
- Notary Public Forms
- Payment Form (PDF)
- Notary Public Search
- Request a Replacement Commission
- Update Email/Mailing Address
- Getting Started as an Online Notary
- Notary Seal Requirements for U.S. States and Territories
- 2019 Notary Conference Presentations
- State Office of Risk Management Notary Without Bond Forms
- Elected Judicial Officials and District Attorneys: New SOS Contact Information for Oaths of Office
Apostille Quick Links
In addition to overseeing elections and registering business entities, the Secretary of State commissions Texas notary publics.
A Texas Notary Public is a public servant with statewide jurisdiction who is authorized to take acknowledgments, protest instruments permitted by law to be protested (primarily negotiable instruments and bills and notes), administer oaths, take depositions, and certify copies of documents not recordable in the public records.
The Secretary of State not only commissions notaries public, but also has the authority to discipline notaries, including suspension or revocation of commission, for good cause. For more information on notaries public, please use the quick links on this page.
The Secretary of State also authenticates documents for foreign use and issues apostilles. An apostille is a certificate issued by the Secretary of State in accordance with the 1961 Hague Convention for the purpose of authenticating a public document (e.g., a birth certificate, death certificate, or notarized document) for use in certain foreign countries. Authentication and apostille requests may be made in person or through the mail. For more information on our apostille and authentication services, please use the quick links on this page.
If you plan on visiting the agency to obtain an apostille or authentication, please refer to our agency's contact information for office hours and parking accommodations. It is also recommended that you check the State's holiday schedule (PDF) for state office closures.
