HOW TO GET YOUR NOTARIAL COMMISSION?

This is important! You have to determine the IBP Chapter where you will hold office since this will determine the requirements that you need to comply initially.

There are two scenarios that you may have to face:

  1. The first scenario is that you will hold office at your registered or LOCAL IBP Chapter
  2. The second scenario is that you will hold office in an IBP Chapter different from your LOCAL IBP Chapter.

The FIRST SCENARIO is a lot less complicated than the second scenario due to lesser number of requirements.

SAME IBP CHAPTER – Here you only need to comply with the following requirements:

  1. FIRST, GO TO IBP NATIONAL OFFICE or EMAIL them and get your Certification from IBP National Office. (This will take five (5) to seven (7) days)
    1. You need two certifications. One for Good Standing (from Accounting) and Certification of No Pending Cases. Prepare a letter requesting for your Certificates. Make this simple and brief. This can be type written or handwritten. See sample letter below:

    “I, Atty. Juana Dela Cruz, would like to request for the following Certification from your Honorable Office:

    Atty. Juana Dela Cruz”

    *Take note that in order for you to get the certification, you need to settle all your outstanding IBP dues. In case, you have already settled all your dues, make sure you bring with you a copy of your Official Receipt J.

    1. SECOND, GO TO THE OFFICE OF THE BAR CONFIDANT (OBC) / SUPREME COURT or EMAIL them atbaroffice@sc.judiciary.gov.ph
    2. Request for your Certificate of NO PENDING CASE
    3. Get your Clearance from the Office of the Bar Confidant
    4. You may assign a representative to claim your Certificates
    1. THIRD, GO TO YOUR IBP CHAPTER WHERE YOU WILL HOLD OFFICE or EMAIL them a copy of the following:
      1. Submit the Certifications that you got from IBP NATIONAL (GOOD STANDING and NO PENDING CASE)
      1. Submit the photocopy your Official Receipt (Membership Dues)
      1. Prepare and submit a Letter Request Stating the office address where you will hold office for the notarization and where you will file your commission. (ORIGINAL). Don’t forget to write your full name, contact number, office address and roll number.
      1. Submit a copy of your Certificate of NO PENDING CASE from Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC) / Supreme Court.
      1. Prepare Payment of Two Hundred Pesos P200 – P500 for the Certification and shipping fee

      The SECOND SCENARIO – You will hold office in a different IBP Chapter other than your registered / LOCAL IBP Chapter

      1. Request for Certification of Good Standing and No Pending Case / Clearance from this Chapter. However, in order to get the Certification or Clearance you will need to comply first with all the steps above (i to iii)
      2. In addition to all the documents enumerated in “iii”, you also need to submit the following at the IBP Chapter where you will hold office the following:
        1. Certificate of Employment if employed
        1. Certificate from your LOCAL IBP Chapter (see “iii”above)
        1. Letter addressed to the President of the said IBP Chapter requesting for Certification / Clearance
        • GET YOUR NBI Clearance.
        1. You can get your NBI Clearance by registering online. (click here https://clearance.nbi.gov.ph/transactions)
          1. Fill up the application form for online and choose an appointment date.
          1. Payment is P130 + P25 online charge. You can make payments thru Bank online, Payment Centers and Over the Counter. Make sure to pay the Application Fee before your appointment date.
          1. Bring your reference number and two valid ID’s during your appointment
          1. For complete guide please click this link ( http://nbiclearance-online.com/nbi-clearance/nbi-online-registration-nbi-clearance/)
          • GO TO THE MUNICIPALITY OR CITY WHERE YOU WILL HOLD OFFICE TO PAY YOUR PROFESSIONAL TAX RECEIPT (PTR)
          1. Bring your IBP ID and show it to the Treasury Department of the Municipality / City where you will hold office
            1. Here, they will assess the professional tax that you need to pay.
            1. Usually this may cost you P300 to P500 depending on the location
            • GO TO THE MUNICIPALITY OR CITY WHERE YOU ARE CURRENTLY RESIDING AND GET YOUR CEDULA
            1. You will need to fill up a small form stating your current complete address, name and occupation
              1. If you are a new lawyer and unemployed, you may state there that you are unemployed and has just passed the Bar.
              1. Cost of Cedula depends on your annual income
              • PREPARE THE FOLLOWING IN A LONG BOND PAPER
              1. Three Specimen Signature
                1. Pictures of your office
                1. Dry Seal Impression – You may order online your dry seal.
                1. Three Passport Size photograph with signature – The picture must be taken not later than 3months from the submission of the Petition
                • SUBMIT YOUR PETITION TO THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT (OCC) WHERE YOU WILL HOLD OFFICE
                1. The personnel at the OCC will help you assess the completeness of your requirements
                  1. They may also have contacts on Newspapers for local publication
                  1. You can also buy from them the Notarial Book that you can use to record your documents
                  • PUBLICATION
                  1. Once your documents are complete you can already publish your Petition in a Newspaper of General Circulation
                    1. This may cost you P2,000 to P6,000 depending on the choice of Newspaper and location
                    1. You can ask the OCC if they know someone who can help you publish your Petition.
                    • AFTER PUBLICATION, the OCC will schedule your hearing with the Executive Judge of the area where you will hold office. (Rules on Notarial Practice)
                    1. The Executive Judge shall conduct a summary hearing on the petition and shall grant the same if:
                      1. The petition is sufficient in form and substance;
                      1. The petition proves the allegations contained in the petition; and
                      1. The petitioner establishes to the satisfaction of the Executive Judge that he has read and fully understood the Rules on Notarial Practice
                      • ONCE approved by the Executive Judge of the area where you will hold office, the OCC will issue your Notarial Commission number.
                      1. A person commissioned as notary public may perform notarial acts in any place within the territorial jurisdiction of the commissioning court for a period of two years commencing the first day of January of the year in which the commissioning is made, unless revoked or the notary public has resigned under these Rules and the Rules of Court.