RON platforms for Texas notaries, read against the Texas rule
Texas publishes no list of approved platforms, so there is nothing to look a vendor up on. This page reads 6 platforms whose own pages name Texas notaries against what the Texas rule asks of your technology: the digital certificate, the electronic seal, identity proofing and the records you keep. Other states' rules and lists are under state rules and approved lists.
Table last checked
Best if you want one account to supply everything
Proof issues the certificate and seal, keeps the journal and recordings for your state's minimum period, and runs an on-demand network in Texas; the catch is that it accepts no certificate bought elsewhere.
Best if you want an IdenTrust certificate you own
Secured Signing's Texas guide routes you to IdenTrust for the certificate, makes your stamp from your commission, and says it keeps the video and journal for up to ten years.
Best for a Texas notary who also wants platform work
BlueNotary lists Texas for its notaries, lets you bring your own signers, offers open calls on the side, and keeps records for at least ten years.
Fig. 1What Texas asks of your platform
Texas does not approve platforms. It approves notaries: you hold a current Texas commission, apply to the Secretary of State for a separate online commission, and send it a digital certificate and an electronic seal with the application. Whatever platform you use has to let you meet the rule below, and the SOS expects you to get assurances from the provider rather than from a state list.
“The secretary of state cannot recommend a provider to you, but whatever source you get your digital certificate from should be able to verify that the digital certificate meets these requirements.”
The same goes for identity proofing: asked whether it keeps a list of approved providers, the SOS answers “No.” Here is what the rule asks of the technology you notarize with, from the statute and the Texas Administrative Code. The full path to a commission is in Texas online notary requirements.
- Digital certificate and e-seal
A digital certificate issued by a third-party provider, using PKI technology and X.509 compliant, that makes any later change to the document evident; plus an electronic seal with 'Notary Public, State of Texas' around a five-point star, your name, notary ID number and commission expiration date.
Tex. Gov't Code § 406.109(d); 1 TAC §§ 87.4(b)(7)(B), 87.41(j) read
- Identity proofing
Personal knowledge, a credible witness, or remote presentation of a government photo ID plus credential analysis and identity proofing, both done by a third party. Identity proofing is dynamic knowledge-based authentication: at least five questions with five answer choices each, 80% correct, all answered within two minutes, one retake within 24 hours.
- Session recording kept for
Keep the recording of the video and audio conference, with a backup, for five years after the date of the notarization. Storage may be contracted to a third party that gives you complete access for the whole retention period.
Tex. Gov't Code § 406.108(a)(6), (c); 1 TAC §§ 87.51(b), 87.54(b) read
- Electronic journal
Keep a secure electronic record of every online notarization, maintained electronically in computers or storage devices, with a backup protected from unauthorized use and under your exclusive control.
- Where the signer may be
The principal may be anywhere; the online notary must be physically in Texas at the time of the notarization.
- How a notary gets RON authority
A separate online notary commission from the Secretary of State. You must already hold a current traditional Texas commission, then apply electronically with your digital certificate, an image of your electronic seal and a statement of officer signed with that certificate. The application fee is $50 plus a 2.7% convenience fee, and the online commission expires on the same day as your traditional commission.
Tex. Gov't Code § 406.105; 1 TAC §§ 87.4, 87.11; SOS 'Getting Started as an Online Notary' read
The comparison table
Each row is one of the Texas asks above. A check means the vendor's own page says it; an em dash means the page we read does not mention it; “check with the vendor” means the page is unclear. The last column shows the other states' lists a platform is on, since Texas has none. For certificates in depth, see notary digital certificate providers.
| Platform | Its own pages name Texas notariesNames Texas | Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party providerX.509 certificate | Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platformElectronic seal | Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third partyID proofing | Recording kept at least 5 yearsRecording kept | Electronic record of each act kept on the platformElectronic record | You can bring your own signersOwn signers | Approved-platform lists it appears onState lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proof | Meets | check with the vendor | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | CO, KS, MD, MO, NE, PA |
| Secured Signing | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | check with the vendor | Meets | Meets | KS, MD, MO, PA |
| BlueNotary | Meets | check with the vendor | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | CO, KS, LA, MD, ME, MO, NE, PA |
| Online Notary Center | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | CO, LA, MD, MO, NE, PA |
| NotaryLive | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Not stated | check with the vendor | Meets | CO, KS, LA, MD, ME, MO, NE, PA |
| SIGNiX | Meets | Meets | check with the vendor | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | CO, KS, LA, MD, ME, MO, NE, PA |
What to get in writing
The SOS tells you to look for a provider who can give you evidence: that the certificate meets the requirements, that identity proofing meets chapter 87, subchapter H of the Texas Administrative Code, and that a store of your records gives you complete access. A vendor's marketing page is not that evidence. Use this list to see what each platform already says and send it the rest.
Texas RON platform evidence check, juratkit.com
What to get in writing from your platform
Pick a platform, then tick each item once you hold its answer in writing. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Items you hold in writing from Proof
0 of 7
7 questions still to send. Copy them as one email.
Where your certificate comes from
The certificate is the part of the setup that is hardest to move, because the SOS has it on file with your commission. The platforms split into four routes. The seal side of the same choice is in electronic notary seal providers.
| Where the certificate comes from | Platforms | What it means | If you change platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| The platform issues it | Proof | The certificate and seal come with the account, and outside certificates are not supported. | A new platform means a new certificate, so you send the SOS updated information. |
| You buy it from IdenTrust | NotaryLive, Online Notary Center, Secured Signing | The vendor's Texas page sends you to IdenTrust; the certificate is issued to you, not to the platform. | Ask the next platform whether it accepts the IdenTrust certificate you hold before you buy another. |
| It comes with the plan | SIGNiX | The RON plan lists an X.509 digital certificate. | Ask how the certificate is issued and whether it outlives the plan. |
| Not stated on the pages read | BlueNotary | The certificate is applied to every document; the issuer is not named. | Ask who issues it and what happens to it if you leave. |
Each platform, read against the Texas rule
Each card quotes the vendor's own words on the Texas rows, softened where the page was unclear. A storage term on a card meets the Texas rule only if you keep complete access to the recording for the whole period.
Proof
An identity and online notarization platform (formerly Notarize) with its own on-demand Notarize Network and a separate account type for notaries who run their own RON business.
A notary in one of the states Proof lists for notary-sourced transactions who wants the platform to keep the journal and recordings, or who wants to join an on-demand network.
- Its own pages name Texas notaries
- Meets
- Lists Texas among the states where notaries run their own RON business on Proof, and as one of the five states for its on-demand network.
- Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party provider
- check with the vendor
- Issues its own Proof Digital Certificate and tells Texas notaries to export their Statement of Officer once it is generated; the pages read do not say X.509. Ask Proof to confirm it in writing.
- Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platform
- Meets
- Provides a free electronic seal and digital certificate at onboarding, and does not support certificates, seals or signatures bought from other vendors.
- Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third party
- Meets
- Its notary-business help page lists knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis built into the platform.
- Recording kept at least 5 years
- Meets
- Says recordings and the journal are "managed and stored by Proof for your state's minimum record retention period".
- Electronic record of each act kept on the platform
- Meets
- Keeps a notary journal on the platform; a separate help article covers exporting it.
- You can bring your own signers
- Meets
- Notary-sourced transaction accounts let a notary send transactions to their own clients, in the states Proof lists; check your state is on that list.
- Approved-platform lists it appears on
- CO, KS, MD, MO, NE, PA
Secured Signing
A digital signature and RON platform with plans for individual notaries, in-house notaries, signing services and title companies, plus IPEN and an outsource notary queue.
An individual notary who wants the platform to issue the X.509 certificate and keep video and journal for up to ten years.
- Its own pages name Texas notaries
- Meets
- Publishes a one-page guide to becoming a remote online notary in Texas.
- Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party provider
- Meets
- Its Texas guide sends you to IdenTrust for an IGC notary certificate; its feature page says it issues X.509 certificates.
- Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platform
- Meets
- Its Texas guide says to send your Texas commission statement and it will make your stamp.
- Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third party
- Meets
- Verifies signers with knowledge-based Q&A against personal-history databases (80% correct to proceed) and SMS two-factor codes; credential analysis is not named on the page read.
- Recording kept at least 5 years
- check with the vendor
- Says "We store the video for up to 10 years": a ceiling, not a minimum, where a state asks for at least ten. Ask the vendor to confirm the term in writing.
- Electronic record of each act kept on the platform
- Meets
- Keeps a digital journal, exportable to PDF or Excel and stored for up to 10 years.
- You can bring your own signers
- Meets
- Sells RON to individual notaries to verify and notarize for their own clients.
- Approved-platform lists it appears on
- KS, MD, MO, PA
BlueNotary
A browser-based RON, IPEN and eClosing platform with a Notary Pro plan for independent notaries and an open-call network that passes BlueNotary-sourced signings to notaries.
A solo notary who wants to serve their own clients and also pick up platform-sourced open calls, with the journal and recordings kept by the platform.
- Its own pages name Texas notaries
- Meets
- Its help center lists Texas under the states it calls approved for its notaries, and asks Texas notaries to upload the online notary commission certificate the SOS sends.
- Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party provider
- check with the vendor
- Says your digital certificate is encrypted into every exported document; the pages read do not name the issuer or say X.509. Ask BlueNotary to confirm it.
- Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platform
- Meets
- Lets you view, upload or reset your eSeal on the platform and make a sample signed file to send to the SOS.
- Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third party
- Meets
- Offers knowledge-based authentication or biometrics plus ID analysis for signers; its help center names Persona as the ID-proofing partner. A notary can also choose to skip the flow, which the vendor warns to use only where local law allows.
- Recording kept at least 5 years
- Meets
- Says journal entries and session records are kept "for at least 10 years from the date of the notarization" unless a state sets a longer period.
- Electronic record of each act kept on the platform
- Meets
- Keeps an electronic notary journal that the notary can export from the Journal section.
- You can bring your own signers
- Meets
- Notary Pro users can invite their own signers and bill them outside BlueNotary.
- Approved-platform lists it appears on
- CO, KS, LA, MD, ME, MO, NE, PA
Online Notary Center
A RON, IPEN and eSign platform for notary businesses: the notary invites their own clients by link and passcode and bills them directly.
A solo notary who wants a simple RON setup with a free seal, a platform journal and long video storage.
- Its own pages name Texas notaries
- Meets
- Publishes a Texas page for notaries: upload your commission and E&O policy, buy an IdenTrust certificate, choose a plan, then apply to the SOS.
- Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party provider
- Meets
- Partners with IdenTrust and does not accept certificates from other vendors; IdenTrust's own page calls its IGC certificates X.509-compliant and PKI.
- Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platform
- Meets
- Provides your seal and says you sign the SOS Statement of Officer with your certificate and e-seal.
- Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third party
- Meets
- Analyzes signers' photo IDs and asks knowledge-based questions; the notary also checks the ID visually.
- Recording kept at least 5 years
- Meets
- Lists "10 year video storage" with all notarizations; check that this covers your state's period.
- Electronic record of each act kept on the platform
- Meets
- Gives onboarded notaries full access to an electronic journal.
- You can bring your own signers
- Meets
- The notary uploads documents and sends their own clients invitation links; "we bill you, you bill your clients".
- Approved-platform lists it appears on
- CO, LA, MD, MO, NE, PA
NotaryLive
A RON platform that lets notaries serve their own clients on free RON software and, by invitation, take sessions from NotaryLive's general customer pool; it also sells eClose and IPEN for real estate.
A notary who wants to start serving their own clients online and may later be invited to take platform sessions.
- Its own pages name Texas notaries
- Meets
- Publishes a Texas guide: make your seal on NotaryLive, buy an IdenTrust certificate, apply to the SOS, then finish signing up.
- Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party provider
- Meets
- Its Texas guide sends you to IdenTrust for an IGC notary certificate, which IdenTrust's own page calls X.509-compliant and PKI.
- Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platform
- Meets
- Generates your seal from the commission details you enter on its dashboard, ready to download.
- Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third party
- Meets
- Its API docs describe identity verification through ID scanning and knowledge-based authentication; check how the in-session flow works in your state with the vendor.
- Recording kept at least 5 years
- Not stated
- Lists "Online Storage of Session Records" but no retention period on the pages read; check with the vendor.
- Electronic record of each act kept on the platform
- check with the vendor
- No notary journal described on the vendor pages read; check with the vendor.
- You can bring your own signers
- Meets
- Every notary level includes "RON software to notarize for your own customers".
- Approved-platform lists it appears on
- CO, KS, LA, MD, ME, MO, NE, PA
SIGNiX
A cloud digital-signature company whose RON product (eNotaryDoX) gives a notary X.509 certificate signing, an eNotary journal, signer authentication and stored video.
A notary or title office that wants standards-based digital signatures and its own notaries in control of the session.
- Its own pages name Texas notaries
- Meets
- Its RON page marks Texas as a state where SIGNiX is compliant, and its notary directory lists notaries commissioned in Texas.
- Digital certificate: X.509, PKI, from a third-party provider
- Meets
- Its RON plans list an X.509 digital certificate.
- Electronic seal made or uploaded on the platform
- check with the vendor
- The pages read do not say how your electronic seal image is made or uploaded. Check with the vendor.
- Credential analysis and identity proofing by a third party
- Meets
- Offers knowledge-based authentication and identity document verification; credential analysis is listed in its title-agency plan.
- Recording kept at least 5 years
- Meets
- Its RON plans list "Video Storage (10 years)"; check the term with the vendor.
- Electronic record of each act kept on the platform
- Meets
- Its RON plans include an eNotary Journal.
- You can bring your own signers
- Meets
- Sells RON plans per notary user, and its directory lists independent notary businesses that use it.
- Approved-platform lists it appears on
- CO, KS, LA, MD, ME, MO, NE, PA
Not in the table: platforms whose pages we read this run do not name Texas notaries, among them NotaryCam, OneNotary, ProNotary, Notary Hub. They may serve Texas; check with the vendor. Their other rows are in RON platforms for a solo notary.
Changing platforms in Texas
A platform that issues its own certificate ties your Texas commission paperwork to that platform. Move to a platform that will not take that certificate and you get a new one, and Texas wants to hear about it.
Your records do not leave with the account either. Texas lets a third party store your recordings only if it gives you complete access to all your records for the whole retention period, and if the contract ends, all records must be transferred to you (SOS record-keeping page). Before you close an account, export the journal and every recording you still have to keep for 5 years. Working on two platforms at once is covered in using more than one RON platform.
Before you apply
How we compared
Weighing the commission itself first? Start with how to become a remote online notary.
Questions notaries ask
Does Texas publish a list of approved RON platforms?
No. The Secretary of State keeps no approved provider list. On digital certificates: 'The secretary of state cannot recommend any third party providers to you.' On identity proofing: asked whether it has a list of approved providers, the SOS answers 'No.' So a platform that says it is “approved in Texas” means it accepts Texas notaries; the rule, not a list, is the test. The states that do keep lists are compared in state-approved RON platforms; Virginia and Washington also keep none (Virginia, Washington), and Florida publishes its providers' self-certifications (Florida).
Which platforms say they work for Texas notaries?
6 platforms in this comparison say so on their own pages. Others may serve Texas too; if a vendor's pages do not say it, ask the vendor before you build your application around it.
Can my signer be outside Texas?
The principal may be anywhere; the online notary must be physically in Texas at the time of the notarization. The platform does not change that: you notarize from Texas, and the signer joins from wherever they are. For signers abroad, read remote notarization for signers outside the US; for the credential analysis and quiz the platform runs on the signer, read identity proofing in RON.
Do I have to tell the Secretary of State if I change platforms?
If the change gives you a new digital certificate or electronic seal, yes. The SOS says that if you replace, update, or make any changes to your digital certificate or electronic seal, you are required to provide updated information to the Secretary of State.
How long do I keep the recording of a Texas online notarization?
Keep the recording of the video and audio conference, with a backup, for five years after the date of the notarization. Storage may be contracted to a third party that gives you complete access for the whole retention period. A platform that keeps recordings longer is fine, as long as you have complete access for the whole period. Every state's period is in RON recording retention by state, and what Texas keeps out of the recording (the quiz, the ID images) is in RON session recording requirements.
Do I need to take a course before I apply?
Since January 1, 2026, applicants for a Texas notary commission must complete the Secretary of State's education course (no more than two hours, 70% of questions answered correctly); an applicant also applying for an online commission answers questions on online notary subject matter. The statute bars requiring the initial-appointment course of a person appointed before September 1, 2025. Every state's training rule is in remote online notary training by state.
Related
- Texas online notary requirementsThe Texas path: commission, digital certificate, electronic seal, online application and record keeping.
- Notary digital certificate providers, comparedWho issues X.509 certificates to notaries, how identity is checked before issue, and which platforms accept one you bring.
- RON technology providers on state lists: who sits on the mostOne table of providers against the state lists, dated, each linked to the state's own list.
- Electronic notary seal requirementsWhat an electronic seal must contain, how it differs from the digital certificate, and how states have you register it.
- RON recording retention by stateHow long each state makes you keep the session recording, who may hold it, and what happens when you leave a platform.