GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 6. PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

SUBTITLE A. PROVISIONS GENERALLY APPLICABLE TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

CHAPTER 602. ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS

Sec. 602.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "oath" includes the oath in an affidavit.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.


Text of section effective until January 01, 2025

Sec. 602.002.  OATH MADE IN TEXAS.  An oath made in this state may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:
(1)  a judge, retired judge, or clerk of a municipal court;
(2)  a judge, retired judge, senior judge, clerk, or commissioner of a court of record;
(3)  a justice of the peace, a retired justice of the peace, or a clerk of a justice court;
(4)  an associate judge, magistrate, master, referee, or criminal law hearing officer;
(5)  a notary public;
(6)  a member of a board or commission created by a law of this state, in a matter pertaining to a duty of the board or commission;
(7)  a person employed by the Texas Ethics Commission who has a duty related to a report required by Title 15, Election Code, in a matter pertaining to that duty;
(8)  a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of the county tax assessor-collector if the oath relates to a document that is required or authorized to be filed in the office of the county tax assessor-collector;
(9)  the secretary of state or a former secretary of state;
(10)  an employee of a personal bond office, or an employee of a county, who is employed to obtain information required to be obtained under oath if the oath is required or authorized by Article 17.04 or by Article 26.04(n) or (o), Code of Criminal Procedure;
(11)  the lieutenant governor or a former lieutenant governor;
(12)  the speaker of the house of representatives or a former speaker of the house of representatives;
(13)  the governor or a former governor;
(14)  a legislator or retired legislator;
(14-a)  the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives;
(15)  the attorney general or a former attorney general;
(16)  the comptroller of public accounts or a former comptroller of public accounts;
(17)  the secretary or clerk of a municipality in a matter pertaining to the official business of the municipality;
(18)  a peace officer described by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, if:
(A)  the oath is administered when the officer is engaged in the performance of the officer's duties; and
(B)  the administration of the oath relates to the officer's duties; or
(19)  a county treasurer.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 325, Sec. 1, eff. May 29, 1999;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 638, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 653, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 514, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 986, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 568, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1171, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 9.015, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 372 (S.B. 397), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 907 (H.B. 1285), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 6.05, eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 66 (S.B. 435), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1250 (H.B. 4181), Sec. 30, eff. June 14, 2019.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 2.102, eff. January 1, 2025.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 837 (H.B. 2559), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 16.001, eff. September 1, 2023.


Text of section effective on January 01, 2025

Sec. 602.002.  OATH MADE IN TEXAS.  An oath made in this state may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:
(1)  a judge, retired judge, or clerk of a municipal court;
(2)  a judge, retired judge, senior judge, clerk, or commissioner of a court of record;
(3)  a justice of the peace, a retired justice of the peace, or a clerk of a justice court;
(4)  an associate judge, magistrate, master, referee, or criminal law hearing officer;
(5)  a notary public;
(6)  a member of a board or commission created by a law of this state, in a matter pertaining to a duty of the board or commission;
(7)  a person employed by the Texas Ethics Commission who has a duty related to a report required by Title 15, Election Code, in a matter pertaining to that duty;
(8)  a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of the county tax assessor-collector if the oath relates to a document that is required or authorized to be filed in the office of the county tax assessor-collector;
(9)  the secretary of state or a former secretary of state;
(10)  an employee of a personal bond office, or an employee of a county, who is employed to obtain information required to be obtained under oath if the oath is required or authorized by Article 17.04 or by Article 26.04(n) or (o), Code of Criminal Procedure;
(11)  the lieutenant governor or a former lieutenant governor;
(12)  the speaker of the house of representatives or a former speaker of the house of representatives;
(13)  the governor or a former governor;
(14)  a legislator or retired legislator;
(14-a)  the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives;
(15)  the attorney general or a former attorney general;
(16)  the comptroller of public accounts or a former comptroller of public accounts;
(17)  the secretary or clerk of a municipality in a matter pertaining to the official business of the municipality;
(18)  a peace officer described by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, if:
(A)  the oath is administered when the officer is engaged in the performance of the officer's duties; and
(B)  the administration of the oath relates to the officer's duties; or
(19)  a county treasurer.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 325, Sec. 1, eff. May 29, 1999;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 638, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 653, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 514, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 986, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 568, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1171, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 9.015, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 372 (S.B. 397), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 907 (H.B. 1285), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 6.05, eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 66 (S.B. 435), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1250 (H.B. 4181), Sec. 30, eff. June 14, 2019.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 2.102, eff. January 1, 2025.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 837 (H.B. 2559), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 16.001, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 602.003.  OATH MADE OUTSIDE TEXAS BUT INSIDE UNITED STATES.  An oath made outside this state but inside the United States or its territories may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:
(1)  a clerk of a court of record having a seal;
(2)  a commissioner of deeds appointed under a law of this state;  or
(3)  a notary public.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Sec. 602.004.  OATH MADE OUTSIDE UNITED STATES.  An oath made outside the United States and its territories may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:
(1)  a minister, commissioner, or charge d'affaires of the United States who resides in and is accredited to the country where the oath or affidavit is made;
(2)  a consul-general, consul, vice-consul, commercial agent, vice-commercial agent, deputy consul, or consular agent of the United States who resides in the country where the oath or affidavit is made;  or
(3)  a notary public.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Sec. 602.005.  OATH MADE BY MEMBER OF ARMED FORCES OR BY MEMBER'S SPOUSE.  (a)  A commissioned officer of the United States armed forces or of a United States armed forces auxiliary may administer an oath made by a member of the armed forces, a member of an armed forces auxiliary, or a member's spouse and may give a certificate of the fact.
(b)  Unless there is pleading or evidence to the contrary, a certificate signed under this section that is offered in evidence establishes that:
(1)  the commissioned officer who signed was a commissioned officer on the date the officer signed;  and
(2)  the person who made the oath or affidavit was a member of the armed forces or an armed forces auxiliary or was a member's spouse when the oath was made.
(c)  An oath is not invalid because the commissioned officer who certified the oath did not attach an official seal to the certificate.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Sec. 602.006.  OATH OF OFFICE.  An oath of office may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by a member of the legislature.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Sec. 602.007.  FILING OF OATH MADE BY CERTAIN JUDICIAL OFFICERS AND JUDICIAL APPOINTEES.  The oath made and signed statement executed as required by Section 1, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, by any of the following judicial officers and judicial appointees shall be filed with the secretary of state:
(1)  an officer appointed by the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, or the State Bar of Texas;
(2)  an associate judge appointed under Subchapter B or C, Chapter 201, Family Code; and
(3)  a retired or former judge on the list maintained by the presiding judge of an administrative judicial region under Section 74.055.
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 912 (S.B. 1329), Sec. 4.01, eff. September 1, 2017.
Amended by: 
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 5.008, eff. September 1, 2023.