The Short Answer
Yes. You can have a document notarized by any notary, wherever you live and wherever the property is or the document will be used. What matters is that the notary notarizes it inside the area of the court that licensed them, and that the place written at the top of the document is where you actually signed it. A notary licensed in Makati may notarize in Makati, but not in your house in Cavite.
Example: A Family From Cavite Signing in Makati
Names and details in this example are made up.
The Bautista siblings own a lot inherited from their parents in Barangay Molino, Bacoor, Cavite. They sign a Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement. Three of them live in Bacoor; the youngest, Paolo, works in an office in Makati and can only get away at lunch. So all four meet at a notary's office near Paolo's work in Makati on a Saturday.
Is that allowed? Yes. The notary holds a commission (license to notarize) from the Executive Judge of the Makati Regional Trial Court, and the signing happens in the notary's office in Makati. It does not matter that the siblings live in Cavite or that the lot is in Bacoor. The Registry of Deeds in Cavite will accept a deed notarized in Makati.
The place line. The top of the deed (the venue) says "Republic of the Philippines, City of Makati) S.S." That matches where they signed. If the deed had been typed with "Province of Cavite, Municipality of Bacoor" on top, the notary should correct it to Makati before notarizing.
What would be wrong. Say the Makati notary offers to "drop by" Bacoor on Sunday so the siblings can sign at home, and still stamps the deed with their Makati details. That notary would be acting outside their area and outside their office, and the notarization could be questioned later, for example by a relative who disagrees with the settlement or by the BIR or Registry of Deeds.
A Notary's License Covers One Area
A notary is a lawyer given a commission (license to notarize) by the Executive Judge of a Regional Trial Court (RTC). Under Rule III, Sec. 11 of the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC), the notary may notarize "in any place within the territorial jurisdiction of the commissioning court" (the city or province that court covers), for two years starting 1 January of the year they were commissioned.
So the limit is on the notary, not on you. A notary commissioned in Quezon City can notarize for a person from Davao, as long as the notarization happens in Quezon City.
The Notary Should Also Be at Their Office
Within their area, a notary should notarize at their regular place of work (Rule IV, Sec. 2(a)). The rules allow a few exceptions inside the same area, at the request of the people signing:
- public offices, convention halls and similar places where oaths of office are taken;
- function rooms of hotels and similar places, for signings;
- hospitals and other medical facilities where a person signing is confined; and
- any place where a person signing is detained.
"House calls" outside these exceptions, and especially outside the notary's area, are a warning sign. If the notary does go out for one of these reasons, the register must show the address where it was done (Rule VI, Sec. 2).
The Place Line at the Top Must Match
A notarized document starts with a venue, a line like "Republic of the Philippines) City of Makati) S.S." It states where the document was signed and notarized. It should name a place inside the notary's area, and it should be true.
Templates often come with the venue filled in. Before you go, change it to the city or municipality where you will actually sign, or leave it for the notary to fill in. If you are unsure which city a notary is commissioned for, look at the notary's certificate on a sample or ask: it states the city or province of the commission and the commission's expiry date (Rule VIII, Sec. 2).
What Happens If It Was Done Outside the Area
A notarization done outside the notary's area is outside the notary's authority. The document can be challenged as not properly notarized, which means it may lose the weight of a public document (a notarized document that courts and offices accept as genuine without more proof). Offices like the Registry of Deeds, the BIR or the DFA may reject it, and the notary can be disciplined. If that happened to you, see complaints against a notary. What it means for your deal or property is a question for a lawyer, or the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) if you qualify.
Common Questions
Taga-Batangas Ako Pero sa Maynila Ako Nagtatrabaho. Pwede ba Akong Magpa-notaryo sa Maynila?
Yes. Go to a notary commissioned for Manila and sign at their office. Make sure the place at the top of the document says Manila.
The Land Is in Iloilo but I Am in Quezon City. Do I Need an Iloilo Notary?
No. The place of the property does not limit which notary you use. A Deed of Sale notarized in Quezon City can be registered with the Registry of Deeds in Iloilo, provided all the signers appeared before the notary.
Can a Notary Come to Our House to Notarize?
Generally no. The rules allow notarizing outside the notary's office only in a few places within their area, such as a hospital where a person signing is confined or a place of detention (Rule IV, Sec. 2(a)). A notary who notarizes at a private house for convenience is breaking the rules.
Can I Sign in the Philippines and Have It Notarized in Another City Later?
No. You must appear before the notary at the time of notarization (Rule IV, Sec. 2(b)). The notary cannot notarize a document you signed somewhere else without you being there.
I Am Abroad. Can a Philippine Notary Notarize for Me?
Not from abroad. A Philippine notary's license covers only their area in the Philippines. Sign before a Philippine embassy or consulate, or a local notary followed by an apostille. See signing Philippine documents while abroad.
Not legal advice. This is general information. For advice on your own situation, consult a lawyer. If you cannot afford one, the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) or an IBP legal aid office may help for free.
Government fees, rules and requirements change, so always check with the office concerned before you go. This page explains the general rules; it cannot tell you how they apply to your own family or case. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.