How to become an Electronic Notary Public (ENP)

Quick answer

An ENP commission is separate from a traditional notarial commission. You need Bar membership in good standing, MCLE and ULAS compliance, one year of Philippine residency and a Philippine place of work, and no moral-turpitude conviction. The fee is ₱3,000 via JePS, filed through the eNotarization Portal. A virtual summary hearing follows. The term is two years from 1 January of the commissioning year.

Eligibility#

• Member of the Philippine Bar in good standing
• MCLE compliant and ULAS compliant
• One year of Philippine residency, and a Philippine place of work
• No conviction involving moral turpitude

A traditional notarial commission is neither required nor sufficient. You may hold both.

The application#

Filed through the eNotarization Portal on the Philippine Judiciary Platform, with the ₱3,000 fee paid via the Judiciary ePayment Solution (JePS).

Attachments include certification that you completed the ENF provider's instructional video, and a copy of your digital seal.

The virtual summary hearing#

Unlike a traditional commission — issued by the RTC Executive Judge — an ENP commission is issued by the Electronic Notary Administrator after a virtual summary hearing.

Assessed: your understanding of the Rules, and your technical aptitude with the platform. There is a public opposition window.

Nationwide jurisdiction — the headline reform#

Traditional notarial commissions are territorial. An ENP may serve principals located anywhere in the Philippines. The city and province limits do not apply to electronic notarization.

You must still be physically in the Philippines whenever you notarize. Notarizing while abroad is a ground for revocation.

Term and renewal#

Two years, counted from 1 January of the commissioning year. Renewal is filed in a 30-day window, and the ENA acts within 15 days.

Your duties#

• Maintain the Electronic Notarial Book (auto-populated by the facility)
• File monthly transitional reports to the ENA within the first 10 days of the month, while the Central Notarial Database is not yet confirmed operational
• Retain records for the life of the commission
• Maintain confidentiality
• Notify of a data breach within 72 hours (Data Privacy Act)
• Use only accredited Electronic Notarization Facilities

Grounds for revocation#

Defective register entries; failing to observe the presence requirements; issuing false certificates; notarizing while outside the Philippines.

Fees you may charge#

There is no Supreme Court fee guide yet for e-notarization services. You may charge, you may waive, and you may pass on reasonable telecommunication and incidental costs. When the guide is published we will note it on the rollout tracker.

Official channels#

Applications and forms: the eNotarization Portal on the Philippine Judiciary Platform. Helpdesk — OBC-ENS: (02) 8526-8119, enotarizationconcerns@judiciary.gov.ph.