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SC Updates Notarial Rules to Boost Digital Efficiency and Safeguards

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In a move aligned with its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) 2022–2027, the Supreme Court has approved amendments to the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice to modernize the handling of notarial documents and improve digital transparency.

 

Through an En Banc Resolution in A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC, the Court introduced new requirements for notaries public regarding the digital submission of their monthly notarial reports. Under the Amended 2004 Notarial Rules, notaries are now required to:

 

  • Keep certified copies of their monthly notarial entries and the duplicate original of each notarized instrument in PDF format;
  • Submit these documents via direct email attachments to the Clerk of Court within the first 10 days of the succeeding month, using their official email address;
  • Send a formal no-entry declaration if they did not perform notarial acts that month.

 

Strict rules govern file transmission. PDF files must not be shared through cloud links, compressed folders (e.g., ZIP or RAR), or any format requiring further extraction or conversion. These measures are intended to preserve document authenticity and ensure easier access by court personnel.

 

Importantly, notaries may not charge any fees related to the digitization, emailing, or processing of these submissions.

 

Courts that currently store electronic duplicate copies of notarized documents are also directed to inventory and assess these materials. A report must be submitted to the Office of the Court Administrator and copied to the Management Information Systems Office. This supports ongoing efforts to evaluate the feasibility of digitally preserving key notarial features like signatures, thumbprints, and official seals.

 

The reform reflects the judiciary’s commitment to digital transformation, aiming for a notarial system that is more efficient, transparent, and secure.

 

The Amended 2004 Notarial Rules were published on June 6, 2025, and will take effect on June 21, 2025.

 

This article is based on a press release from the Office of Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa. For full details, refer to the Supreme Court’s Resolution in A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC (Re: 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, March 4, 2025).

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