Electronic Notarization in the Philippines: A Know-How Guide and FAQs
October 6, 2026 By Atty. Ryan Castillo, Electronic Notary Public
Starting October 19, 2026, you no longer have to line up at a law office to have a document notarized. A Supreme Court-commissioned Electronic Notary Public can notarize your PDF in person or over live video, from anywhere in the Philippines.
As an Electronic Notary Public, the question I hear most is simple: "Is this real, and is it valid?" Yes. The Supreme Court promulgated the Rules on Electronic Notarization (A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC) on February 4, 2025, and they took effect on March 24, 2025. The Court opened applications for lawyers to be commissioned on August 10, 2026, and has set October 19, 2026 as the date the service officially goes live.
This guide explains, in plain language, what electronic notarization is, who benefits, what you need, what happens during a session, and which documents qualify.
What is an Electronic Notary Public?
An Electronic Notary Public (ENP) is a lawyer specially commissioned by the Supreme Court to notarize electronic documents using a Court-accredited digital platform. A regular notary public under the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice does not automatically gain this authority. A separate commission is required.
To be commissioned, the lawyer must be a member of the Bar in good standing, compliant with MCLE and legal aid requirements, a Philippine resident for at least one year, and free of any conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude. The applicant must also pass a summary hearing by videoconference that tests both knowledge of the Rules and skill in using the platform. The commission runs for two years.
The Rules recognize three modes:
In-Person Electronic Notarization (IEN). You are in the same room as the ENP and sign on the platform in person.
Remote Electronic Notarization (REN). You appear by live, two-way video from anywhere in the Philippines, or from inside a Philippine embassy or consulate abroad.
Combined IEN and REN. Some parties appear in person and others join online, all in one session.
In every mode, the ENP must use a Supreme Court-accredited Electronic Notarization Facility (ENF).
An electronic notarial act carries the same validity, force and effect as a traditional notarial act. It turns a private document into a public document, admissible in court without further proof of authenticity.
How does this benefit you and your business?
The biggest change is reach. A traditional notary can only notarize within the territory of the court that commissioned them, while an ENP can serve principals located anywhere in the Philippines.
For individuals
No travel, no queue. Sign and appear by video from home, the office, or the province. This matters most for seniors, persons with disabilities, and people in remote areas.
No printing or courier. The document stays a PDF from drafting to notarization, so there is nothing to print, sign in ink, and ship back and forth.
Easier for families spread out. Co-owners or heirs in Davao, Cebu and Manila can join one session instead of passing paper around for weeks.
Help for OFWs. A Filipino abroad can be notarized remotely while inside a Philippine embassy, consulate or honorary consul office.
Easy to verify. Each notarized document is sent to the Supreme Court Central Notarial Database, which makes fake notarizations far harder to pass off.
For enterprises
Faster deal closing. Board resolutions, secretary's certificates, contracts and affidavits can be executed the same day by signatories in different cities.
Lower cost per document. Less paper, courier and messenger time, and fewer re-executions caused by lost or damaged originals.
Fully digital workflows. Companies already on e-signatures can finally finish the last step, notarization, without converting back to paper.
Stronger audit trail. Identity checks, the electronic notarial book, and the session record give compliance and legal teams a clean evidentiary record.
Fraud protection. Accredited platforms must use BSP-aligned e-KYC, multi-factor authentication, liveness detection and anti-spoofing, VPN-blocking geolocation, and tamper-evident encryption.
How it eases the process
Document form. Traditional notarization uses printed paper with a wet signature. Electronic notarization uses a PDF or PDF/A with an electronic signature.
Appearance. Instead of going to the notary's office, you can appear in person or by live video.
Notary's reach. Instead of being limited to the territory of the commissioning court, an ENP can serve you anywhere in the Philippines.
Delivery. Instead of picking up or couriering the paper, you simply download the notarized PDF.
Verification. Instead of checking the notary's paper register, the act is recorded in the Supreme Court Central Notarial Database.
What do you need?
You need four things: a PDF, a valid government-issued ID, an account on an accredited platform, and a device with a camera and stable internet.
The document in PDF or PDF/A. The Rules expressly require this format. A scanned copy of a paper document also counts as an electronic document. Make sure it is complete, with all blanks filled in and annexes attached.
Competent evidence of identity. At least one current government-issued ID with your photo and signature, such as a passport, PhilSys National ID, driver's license, UMID or PRC ID. The platform will check it through its e-KYC process.
An account on an accredited ENF. You, and every witness, will create an account on the same platform your ENP uses (Twala, QLegal or NotarizeIT as of this writing).
An electronic signature. Usually created inside the platform. Some documents may arrive already signed (see the session steps below).
A device with a working camera, microphone and stable internet (for remote sessions). A laptop is easiest for reading the document, but a phone usually works.
Your actual location. For remote sessions, you must be in the Philippines, or inside a Philippine embassy, consulate or honorary consul office abroad. Platforms detect and block VPNs and location spoofing.
Witnesses, if the document needs them, each with their own valid ID and platform account.
For companies: proof of the signatory's authority, such as a board resolution or secretary's certificate.
Tip: Use a quiet, well-lit room and be alone on camera unless others are part of the session. The ENP must be satisfied that you are signing freely.
What happens in an electronic notarial session?
A typical session takes about as long as a traditional notarization, but every step happens on the accredited platform and is recorded.
Booking and upload. You choose an ENP, agree on the notarial act needed, and upload your PDF to the platform.
Account and identity check. You and your witnesses create accounts. The platform runs e-KYC: you scan your ID, take a live selfie, and pass liveness and anti-spoofing checks so no photo, video or deepfake can stand in for you.
Location check. For remote sessions, the platform confirms your actual location and blocks VPNs.
Joining the session. You appear before the ENP either physically (IEN) or through live, two-way video (REN). All parties must be able to see and hear each other in real time.
Verification by the ENP. I compare you against your ID and the platform's results, and ask questions to confirm you are who you say you are.
Explaining the document. The ENP reads, interprets and explains the nature of the document in a language you understand, and confirms you are signing voluntarily and of sound mind.
Signing. You sign electronically in full view of the ENP. For an acknowledgment or affirmation, a pre-signed PDF is allowed; you simply confirm on camera that the signature is yours. For a jurat, you also take an oath or affirmation that the contents are true.
Notarial certificate and seal. The ENP completes the e-notarial certificate and affixes their electronic signature and electronic notarial seal.
Recording. The act is entered in the ENP's electronic notarial book, built into the platform, and a copy is uploaded to the Supreme Court Central Notarial Database.
Release. You download the notarized, tamper-evident PDF. Any later change to the file will show as tampering.
The ENP will refuse or stop the session if your identity cannot be verified, the connection drops in a way that breaks real-time interaction, someone off-camera appears to be coaching or pressuring you, you seem not to understand the document, or the document is incomplete or not allowed under the Rules.
Which documents can and cannot be e-notarized?
Any electronic document in PDF or PDF/A can be e-notarized through one of four notarial acts, except notarial wills, depositions, and paper documents with wet signatures.
The four allowed electronic notarial acts
Acknowledgment. You declare before the ENP that you signed the document voluntarily. Common examples: deeds of sale, contracts, leases, Special Powers of Attorney, loan and mortgage documents, and corporate agreements.
Jurat. You swear or affirm that the contents are true and sign before the ENP. Common examples: affidavits of loss, affidavits of undertaking, sworn statements, and verifications and certifications of non-forum shopping.
Oath or affirmation. You make a solemn declaration before the ENP. Common examples: oaths of office and sworn declarations.
Signature witnessing. The ENP attests that you signed in their presence. Common examples: consent forms, authorizations, and certifications.
Not covered by the Rules on Electronic Notarization
Notarial wills. These still require the formalities of the Civil Code and the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice.
Depositions. These remain under the 2004 Rules.
Paper documents with handwritten (wet) signatures or thumbmarks. These go to a traditional notary public. If you want to e-notarize, prepare the document as a PDF and sign it electronically instead.
Copy certification. It is not among the four electronic notarial acts listed above, so ask your ENP before assuming a true-copy certification can be done electronically.
Practical cautions
Check acceptance by the receiving office. The notarization is valid, but government agencies and banks are still updating their systems. Before e-notarizing a deed for the Registry of Deeds, BIR, LTO, SEC or a bank, confirm they accept e-notarized PDFs.
Documents for use abroad may still need an apostille from the DFA, and the foreign recipient's rules apply.
Principals abroad but outside an embassy or consulate cannot be notarized remotely by a Philippine ENP.
Frequently asked questions
Is an e-notarized document as valid as one with a wet seal?
Yes. The Rules give electronic notarial acts the same validity, force and effect as acts under the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice.
Can any notary public do this?
No. Only a lawyer separately commissioned as an Electronic Notary Public, using a Supreme Court-accredited platform, can perform electronic notarial acts. Ask your notary for their ENP commission details.
Is this the same as the 2020 remote notarization during the pandemic?
No. The 2020 Interim Rules covered paper documents with handwritten signatures, only in areas under community quarantine, with physical copies sent by courier. The 2025 Rules are permanent and fully electronic.
I'm an OFW. Can I use this?
Yes, if you are inside a Philippine embassy, consulate or honorary consul office abroad during the session. Remote notarization from your home or office abroad is currently not allowed.
Can I just send my notary a scanned PDF and have it notarized without appearing?
No. Personal appearance, physical or by live video, is still required. Notarizing without appearance is a serious violation for the ENP.
How can someone verify that my document is genuinely e-notarized?
Every e-notarized document is recorded in the Supreme Court Central Notarial Database, and the PDF carries tamper-evident signatures and seals. Any alteration after notarization will show.
Is my personal data safe?
Accredited platforms must comply with the Data Privacy Act and register with the National Privacy Commission, on top of encryption and identity safeguards.
Can I still go to a regular notary?
Yes. Traditional notarization of paper documents continues under the 2004 Rules. Electronic notarization is an added option, not a replacement.
Do the parties need to be in the same place?
No. In a remote or combined session, each signatory and witness can join from a different location in the Philippines, as long as all can see and hear each other in real time.
A final word
Electronic notarization keeps everything that makes notarization trustworthy (personal appearance, identity checks, and an accountable lawyer) while removing the travel, paper and territorial limits. If you have a document ready, prepare it as a PDF, have a valid ID on hand, and reach out to an Electronic Notary Public to book a session.
Dagsaan Monterde Castillo Law Office is ready to serve you. Atty. Ryan A.D. Castillo is one of the first lawyers commissioned by the Supreme Court as an Electronic Notary Public, and assists individuals and enterprises with both in-person and remote electronic notarization.
For inquiries about our electronic notarization services, you may reach out to us by email through the contact address listed on our website.