Notarization is one of those things that sounds simple until you’re standing in front of a notary public with the wrong ID or an incomplete document. In the Philippines, the rules changed significantly when the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice took effect. If you’re preparing documents for government bidding, loan applications, or property transactions, knowing the notarization requirements will save you from having to go back and redo everything from scratch.
The notarial rules are governed by the Supreme Court through the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC). These rules apply to all notaries public in the country, whether they’re lawyers in private practice or those commissioned for specific government offices. Here’s what you need to prepare before visiting a notary.
- A valid government-issued ID is mandatory — passport, driver’s license, PRC ID, UMID, or any other ID bearing your photo and signature that has not expired
- The document signer must personally appear before the notary public — no exceptions for representatives, and purely online notarization is only allowed under specific Supreme Court issuances during emergencies
- For jurats (where you swear under oath), you need to take an oath before the notary, who will then affix their signature, seal, and the required notarial details
- For acknowledgments (where you simply declare you signed voluntarily), you present your valid ID and the notary verifies your identity before completing the acknowledgment portion
- Community Tax Certificate (cedula) is no longer required for most notarizations since it was abolished, though some notaries may still ask for it for their internal records
- Notarial fees vary — expect to pay around PHP 50 to PHP 200 per document for simple acknowledgments, and PHP 200 to PHP 500 for jurats, depending on the notary and your location
- For government bidding documents like the Omnibus Sworn Statement, notarization is mandatory and must be done by a notary public with a valid commission in the area where the document is signed
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines maintains a list of commissioned notaries public in each chapter. The official rules are published on the Supreme Court website at sc.judiciary.gov.ph. If you’re preparing documents specifically for procurement, the Omnibus Sworn Statement needs special attention because it requires both an acknowledgment and a sworn statement format that many first-time bidders get wrong.
For professional printing that ensures your forms are properly laid out before notarization, we can help format your bidding documents correctly. We also print and format PhilGEPS-required forms so they’re notary-ready when you bring them in.
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