What this page covers
- Checked against sources
- October 16, 2026
Check your document, then notarize it
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5-10 minutes per document · on video · we confirm your notary and time by email
What is a notarized letter? It is a letter you personally appear to sign before an officer, acknowledging that you executed it for the purposes and consideration it expresses1. On Notriv, a notary meets you on a live two-way video call to do this.
What is a notary?
In Texas, a notary public has the same authority as the county clerk to take acknowledgments or proofs of written instruments, protest instruments permitted by law to be protested, administer oaths, take depositions as provided by Section 20.001 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and certify copies of documents not recordable in the public records2. A Texas notary public who is not licensed to practice law in the state may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice3.
What does Texas law require for a notarized letter?
To acknowledge a written instrument for recording in Texas, the person who executed it must appear before an officer, state that they executed it for the purposes and consideration expressed in it, and the officer must then make, sign and seal a certificate of the acknowledgment with the seal of office4. A notarized letter can also be a sworn written statement: a Texas affidavit is a written statement of facts, signed by the person making it, sworn before an officer authorized to administer oaths, and officially certified by that officer under the officer's seal of office5. An officer may accept only certain proof of identity from the signer6. That proof is the oath of a credible witness known to the officer or holding a current federal or state ID with a photo and signature, a current federal or state ID with the signer's photo and signature, or a current foreign passport for a deed or residential real estate instrument6.
How does an online notary session work?
The video session is recorded and the recording is kept for 5 years. Each notarization is entered in the notary journal, which is kept for 5 years. The notarized document is signed with the digital certificate and electronic seal of the notary, and the seal is checked for tampering before it is applied.
How do I get it done?
Appointment times are offered every 30 minutes. Notarizations are bought one at a time; the e-sign subscription does not include them. Pick a video time.
Upload your document on Notriv to check it and book an online notary.
Where these facts come from
- 1. What does it mean to acknowledge a signature: In a Texas acknowledgment form, for a natural person, "acknowledged" means the person personally appeared before the officer taking the acknowledgment and acknowledged executing the instrument for the purposes and consideration expressed in it. · statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked October 16, 2026
- 2. What does a notary do: In Texas, a notary public has the same authority as the county clerk to take acknowledgments or proofs of written instruments, protest instruments that the law allows to be protested, administer oaths, take depositions as provided by Section 20.001 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and certify copies of documents that are not recordable in the public records. · statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked October 16, 2026
- 3. Can a notary give legal advice: In Texas, a notary public who is not licensed to practice law in the state may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. · statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked October 16, 2026
- 4. What happens when you acknowledge a document: In Texas, to acknowledge a written instrument for recording, the grantor or person who executed it must appear before an officer and state that they executed it for the purposes and consideration expressed in it, and the officer must make, sign and seal a certificate of the acknowledgment with the seal of office. · statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked October 16, 2026
- 5. What is a sworn written statement: Under Texas law, unless the context shows a different meaning, an affidavit is a written statement of facts, signed by the person making it, sworn before an officer authorized to administer oaths, and officially certified by that officer under the officer's seal of office. · statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked October 16, 2026
- 6. How does a notary know who you are: In Texas, the officer may accept as satisfactory evidence of identity only: the oath of a credible witness who is personally known to the officer or who shows a current federal or state government ID with the witness's photo and signature; a current federal or state government ID with the acknowledging person's photo and signature; or, for a deed or other instrument relating to a residential real estate transaction, a current passport issued by a foreign country. · statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked October 16, 2026