# What Is an Electronic Notary Public (ENP)? Requirements and Role in E-Notarization


An **Electronic Notary Public (ENP)** is a lawyer in good standing who has been commissioned by the Electronic Notary Administrator (ENA) to perform electronic notarial acts under [A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC](/blog/glossary/am-no-24-10-14-sc/) -- the Supreme Court Rules on Electronic Notarization.

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## Requirements to Become an ENP

To be commissioned as an Electronic Notary Public, a person must meet the following qualifications:

1. **Member of the Philippine Bar** in good standing
2. **No conviction** for a crime involving moral turpitude
3. **Completed training** on electronic notarization procedures and technology
4. **Applied** for a commission with the Electronic Notary Administrator (ENA)
5. **Complied** with continuing legal education requirements

These requirements ensure that ENPs possess both the legal knowledge and technical competence to perform electronic notarization properly and securely.

## Powers and Functions

An ENP is authorized to perform the following electronic notarial acts:

- **Acknowledgment** -- Certifying that a person appeared and declared that the document is their voluntary act
- **Jurat** -- Administering an oath or affirmation that the contents of a document are true
- **Copy certification** -- Certifying that an electronic copy is a true copy of a document
- **Signature witnessing** -- Witnessing the affixing of an electronic signature

These acts may be performed through:
- **[In-Person Electronic Notarization (IEN)](/blog/glossary/in-person-electronic-notarization/)** -- Parties physically present, document electronic
- **[Remote Electronic Notarization (REN)](/blog/glossary/remote-electronic-notarization/)** -- Parties appear via audiovisual link

## ENP vs. Traditional Notary Public

| Aspect | Traditional Notary Public | Electronic Notary Public (ENP) |
|--------|--------------------------|-------------------------------|
| Commissioning authority | Executive Judge of the RTC | Electronic Notary Administrator (ENA) |
| Document format | Paper only | PDF / PDF-A only |
| Physical presence | Always required | Required for IEN; virtual for REN |
| Notarial seal | Physical rubber stamp | [Electronic notarial seal](/blog/glossary/electronic-notarial-seal/) |
| Record-keeping | Physical [notarial book](/blog/glossary/notarial-book/) | Electronic notarial book |
| Identity verification | Visual inspection of ID | Multi-factor authentication (ID + biometrics + OTP) |
| Fraud protection | Limited | Digital [audit trails](/blog/glossary/document-audit-trail/), tamper detection |
| Territorial scope | Limited to commission jurisdiction | Broader scope via REN, including extraterritorial |

## Identity Verification Obligations

ENPs have enhanced identity verification obligations compared to traditional notaries. Before performing any electronic notarial act, the ENP must verify the principal's identity through:

- **Government-issued photo identification** -- At least one current, valid ID
- **Facial recognition** -- Matching the live person to their ID photo
- **One-time passwords (OTP)** -- Sent to the principal's registered contact
- **Knowledge-based authentication** -- In certain cases, additional verification questions

These layers of verification are why e-notarization is considered more secure against fraud than traditional notarization. For context on why this matters, see our article on [SC rulings on fraudulent notarial seals](/blog/sc-rulings-on-fraudulent-notarial-seals-and-signatures-shows-why-e-notarization-is-the-future/).

## The Electronic Notarial Act Process

When an ENP performs an e-notarization:

1. **Verify identity** using multi-factor authentication
2. **Review the document** to ensure it is complete and in proper format (PDF/PDF-A)
3. **Administer oath or receive acknowledgment** (depending on the type of notarial act)
4. **Witness signing** -- the principal applies their [electronic signature](/blog/glossary/electronic-signature/)
5. **Apply notarial seal** -- the ENP applies their [electronic notarial seal](/blog/glossary/electronic-notarial-seal/) and signature
6. **Record the act** in the electronic [notarial book](/blog/glossary/notarial-book/)
7. **Upload** the record to the Supreme Court's centralized database

## Who Needs an ENP?

Any individual or organization that needs to notarize electronic documents, including:

- **Law firms** signing and notarizing client documents electronically
- **[Corporate secretaries](/blog/glossary/corporate-secretary/)** notarizing [board resolutions](/blog/glossary/board-resolution/) and [secretary's certificates](/blog/glossary/secretarys-certificate/)
- **Businesses** executing notarized contracts and agreements
- **OFWs** at Philippine missions abroad needing notarized documents
- **Individuals** notarizing affidavits, special powers of attorney, and other personal documents

## Related Terms

- [E-Notarization](/blog/glossary/e-notarization/)
- [Electronic Notarization Facility (ENF)](/blog/glossary/electronic-notarization-facility/)
- [Electronic Notarial Seal](/blog/glossary/electronic-notarial-seal/)
- [A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC](/blog/glossary/am-no-24-10-14-sc/)
- [Notarial Book](/blog/glossary/notarial-book/)

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[NotarialOS](https://notarialos.com) is designed to support ENPs in performing compliant electronic notarial acts, with built-in identity verification, audit trails, and secure electronic notarial seal application.