Last amended May 28, 2024 · Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 306a starts the post-judgment deadlines — plenary power, new-trial motions, requests for findings — running from the date the judgment is signed, and gives relief of up to 90 days when a party gets no notice of the signing.
1.Beginning of Periods. The date of judgment or order is signed as shown of record shall determine the beginning of the periods prescribed by these rules for the court's plenary power to grant a new trial or to vacate, modify, correct or reform a judgment or order and for filing in the trial court the various documents that these rules authorize a party to file within such periods including, but not limited to, motions for new trial, motions to modify judgment, motions to reinstate a case dismissed for want of prosecution, motions to vacate judgment and requests for findings of fact and conclusions of law; but this rule shall not determine what constitutes rendition of a judgment or order for any other purpose.
2.Date to Be Shown. Judges, attorneys and clerks are directed to use their best efforts to cause all judgments, decisions and orders of any kind to be reduced to writing and signed by the trial judge with the date of signing stated therein. If the date of signing is not recited in the judgment or order, it may be shown in the record by a certificate of the judge or otherwise; provided, however, that the absence of a showing of the date in the record shall not invalidate any judgment or order.
3.Notice of Judgment. When the final judgment or other appealable order is signed, the clerk of the court must immediately send the judgment or order to the parties as provided in Rule 21(f)(10). If the judgment awards monetary damages, the judgment must state: “If you are an individual (not a company), your money or property may be protected from being taken to pay this judgment. Find out more by visiting www.texaslawhelp.org/exempt-property. / Si usted es una persona física (y no una compañía), su dinero o propiedad pudieran estar protegidos de ser embargados como pago de esta deuda decretada en juicio en contra suya. Obtenga mayor información visitando el sitio www.texaslawhelp.org/exempt-property.” Failure to comply with the provisions of this rule shall not affect the periods mentioned in paragraph (1) of this rule, except as provided in paragraph (4).
4.No Notice of Judgment. If within twenty days after the judgment or other appealable order is signed, a party adversely affected by it or his attorney has neither received the notice required by paragraph (3) of this rule nor acquired actual knowledge of the order, then with respect to that party all the periods mentioned in paragraph (1) shall begin on the date that such party or his attorney received such notice or acquired actual knowledge of the signing, whichever occurred first, but in no event shall such periods begin more than ninety days after the original judgment or other appealable order was signed.
5.Motion, Notice and Hearing. In order to establish the application of paragraph (4) of this rule, the party adversely affected is required to prove in the trial court, on sworn motion and notice, the date on which the party or his attorney first either received a notice of the judgment or acquired actual knowledge of the signing and that this date was more than twenty days after the judgment was signed.
6.Nunc Pro Tunc Order. When a corrected judgment has been signed after expiration of the court's plenary power pursuant to Rule 316, the periods mentioned in paragraph (1) of this rule shall run from the date of signing the corrected judgment with respect of any complaint that would not be applicable to the original document.
7.When Process Served by Publication. With respect to a motion for new trial filed more than thirty days after the judgment was signed pursuant to Rule 329 when process has been served by publication, the periods provided by paragraph (1) shall be computed as if the judgment were signed on the date of filing the motion.
End
Notes and Comments
Comment to 1988 change: Amend to reflect repeal of Rule 317.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 306a anchors the appellate and post-judgment calendar. The deadlines these rules set — for the court's plenary power and for filing motions for new trial, motions to modify, motions to reinstate, and requests for findings of fact — all run from the date the judgment or order is signed. Judges and clerks are directed to recite the signing date, though its absence does not invalidate the judgment.
When a final judgment is signed, the clerk must immediately send it to the parties, and a judgment awarding money must carry a bilingual notice about exempt property. The rule's key relief valve is for a party kept in the dark: if a party gets neither the required notice nor actual knowledge of the signing within 20 days, the periods instead run from the date of first notice or actual knowledge — but never more than 90 days after the judgment was signed. The party must prove the late date by sworn motion and notice. Separate provisions handle corrected judgments and service by publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the deadlines to appeal start in Texas?
Under Rule 306a, the post-judgment periods run from the date the judgment or order is signed — not the date it is rendered or mailed.
What if you never received notice that the judgment was signed?
Rule 306a(4) helps. If you got neither notice nor actual knowledge within 20 days of signing, the deadlines run from when you first learned of it — but in no event more than 90 days after signing, and you must prove the date by sworn motion.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 306a), published by the Texas Judicial Branch (txcourts.gov).
Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Texas. The plain-English summary is original and draws on official sources. Last verified June 28, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:periods to run from signingdate of judgment signedappellate timetableno notice of judgmentexempt property noticeTRCP 306a