For readers who want the source, not a summary
The Rules on Electronic Notarization, explained
A plain-English companion to A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC — what it covers, who it creates, and what it deliberately leaves out.
Last reviewed
Outline page. The structure and the key facts are here; the full-length copy for this page is still being written. Everything stated below is sourced from the Rules.
Quick answer
A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC creates a parallel system for notarizing electronic documents: a new kind of commission (the ENP), a new kind of accredited platform (the ENF), a new administrator (the ENA), and two modes (IEN and REN). It supplements the 2004 Rules and repeals the 2020 interim remote-notarization rules.
How to read this page
We deliberately do not cite section numbers we have not verified against the text. Where a statement is a paraphrase of the Rules as a whole, we say "under the Rules". The full PDF is linked in the sources at the bottom — it is readable, and worth reading.
What the Rules do
Scope. Electronic documents in PDF or PDF/A, including scans of paper documents.
Exclusions. Notarial wills, depositions, and paper documents with wet-ink signatures (which remain under the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice).
The four acts. Acknowledgment, oath or affirmation, jurat, and signature witnessing — all by electronic means. Jurat documents must be signed live in view of the e-notary.
The two modes. IEN (physical appearance, electronic document) and REN (live videoconference). A single session may mix them.
Equal legal force. An e-notarized document has the same legal force and effect as a traditionally notarized one.
Who the Rules create
ENP — Electronic Notary Public. A separate commission with its own eligibility rules, issued by the ENA after a virtual summary hearing. Nationwide jurisdiction. Two-year term from 1 January. Full detail on for lawyers.
ENF — Electronic Notarization Facility. The accredited platform. Provider requirements include DTI/SEC/CDA registration, a Data Outsourcing Agreement with the Supreme Court, e-KYC to BSP standards, multi-factor authentication, liveness and anti-spoofing detection, geolocation with VPN blocking, an auto-populated notarial book, PDF/A output, integration with the Central Notarial Database, digital payments with e-receipts, end-to-end encryption, NPC registration and 99.9% uptime. Fees: ₱5,000 application, ₱100,000 performance bond, three-year accreditation.
ENA — Electronic Notary Administrator. Commissions ENPs, accredits ENFs, runs the Central Notarial Database. The Supreme Court designated the Office of the Bar Confidant as the interim Electronic Notary Services unit (OBC-ENS).
The safeguards, and what each prevents
| Safeguard | What it stops |
|---|---|
| Synchronous HD video, min 1280×720 / ~2 Mbps | A session where nobody can really see you |
| Everyone on camera throughout | Someone signing off-screen |
| Pre-recorded video prohibited | A fabricated "appearance" |
| Geolocation, VPNs detected and blocked | Faking that you are in the Philippines |
| e-KYC, MFA, liveness detection | Impersonation |
| Auto-populated notarial book | Missing or edited register entries |
| QR-coded electronic seal | A stamp nobody can check |
| Optional recording, for the principal | Disputes about what happened |
Records, privacy and inspection
The Electronic Notarial Book records the parties, the IDs used, the fee, the mode and the timestamps. Any person may inspect a specific entry for a lawful purpose; law enforcement seeking broader access needs a court order. E-notaries retain records for the life of the commission and must give breach notification within 72 hours under the Data Privacy Act.
Geography — the provision that causes the most confusion
The e-notary must always be physically in the Philippines. For REN, the general rule is that all parties must be. The single exception is a principal physically inside a Philippine embassy, consular office or Honorary Consul's office, panning the camera, with an officer confirming their presence.
See the OFW guide for what this means in practice.
Penalties
Grounds for revoking an ENP commission include defective register entries, ignoring presence requirements, false certificates, and notarizing while abroad.
Punishable acts by anyone: impersonating an e-notary, tampering with seals or records, circumventing the security technology, using a VPN to fake location, and operating an unaccredited platform (contempt of court).
Related laws
E-Commerce Act (RA 8792) for electronic signature validity; the Rules on Electronic Evidence; the Data Privacy Act (RA 10173); and the PhilSys Act, which makes the PhilID a valid ID.
Where to go next
Sources
We are not a provider. This is an independent educational website. We do not notarize documents, we are not an accredited Electronic Notarization Facility, and we are not affiliated with the Supreme Court or with any platform listed here. We cannot notarize, process or verify anything for you.
Not legal advice. General legal information only — not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a Philippine lawyer or notary public.