diff --git a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go
index f40a9f4322507..28812b4eae026 100644
--- a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go
+++ b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go
@@ -1489,13 +1489,13 @@ func (q *querier) GetNotificationTemplateByID(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID)
 }
 
 func (q *querier) GetNotificationTemplatesByKind(ctx context.Context, kind database.NotificationTemplateKind) ([]database.NotificationTemplate, error) {
-	// TODO: restrict 'system' kind to admins only?
-	// All notification templates share the same rbac.Object, so there is no need
-	// to authorize them individually. If this passes, all notification templates can be read.
-	if err := q.authorizeContext(ctx, policy.ActionRead, rbac.ResourceNotificationTemplate); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	// Anyone can read the system notification templates.
+	if kind == database.NotificationTemplateKindSystem {
+		return q.db.GetNotificationTemplatesByKind(ctx, kind)
 	}
-	return q.db.GetNotificationTemplatesByKind(ctx, kind)
+
+	// TODO(dannyk): handle template ownership when we support user-default notification templates.
+	return nil, sql.ErrNoRows
 }
 
 func (q *querier) GetNotificationsSettings(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
diff --git a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go
index bc14d7a1d42ae..282143df5e505 100644
--- a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go
+++ b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go
@@ -2610,8 +2610,10 @@ func (s *MethodTestSuite) TestNotifications() {
 	}))
 	s.Run("GetNotificationTemplatesByKind", s.Subtest(func(db database.Store, check *expects) {
 		check.Args(database.NotificationTemplateKindSystem).
-			Asserts(rbac.ResourceNotificationTemplate, policy.ActionRead).
+			Asserts().
 			Errors(dbmem.ErrUnimplemented)
+
+		// TODO(dannyk): add support for other database.NotificationTemplateKind types once implemented.
 	}))
 	s.Run("UpdateNotificationTemplateMethodByID", s.Subtest(func(db database.Store, check *expects) {
 		check.Args(database.UpdateNotificationTemplateMethodByIDParams{
diff --git a/coderd/notifications/notifications_test.go b/coderd/notifications/notifications_test.go
index d73edbf7c453b..13ea5b65b96cc 100644
--- a/coderd/notifications/notifications_test.go
+++ b/coderd/notifications/notifications_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/coder/serpent"
 
+	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/coderdtest"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/database"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/database/dbgen"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/database/dbtestutil"
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/notifications/dispatch"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/notifications/render"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/notifications/types"
+	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/rbac"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/util/syncmap"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/codersdk"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/testutil"
@@ -893,6 +895,43 @@ func TestCustomNotificationMethod(t *testing.T) {
 	}, testutil.WaitLong, testutil.IntervalFast)
 }
 
+func TestNotificationsTemplates(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// SETUP
+	if !dbtestutil.WillUsePostgres() {
+		// Notification system templates are only served from the database and not dbmem at this time.
+		t.Skip("This test requires postgres; it relies on business-logic only implemented in the database")
+	}
+
+	ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
+	api := coderdtest.New(t, createOpts(t))
+
+	// GIVEN: the first user (owner) and a regular member
+	firstUser := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, api)
+	memberClient, _ := coderdtest.CreateAnotherUser(t, api, firstUser.OrganizationID, rbac.RoleMember())
+
+	// WHEN: requesting system notification templates as owner should work
+	templates, err := api.GetSystemNotificationTemplates(ctx)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.True(t, len(templates) > 1)
+
+	// WHEN: requesting system notification templates as member should work
+	templates, err = memberClient.GetSystemNotificationTemplates(ctx)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.True(t, len(templates) > 1)
+}
+
+func createOpts(t *testing.T) *coderdtest.Options {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	dt := coderdtest.DeploymentValues(t)
+	dt.Experiments = []string{string(codersdk.ExperimentNotifications)}
+	return &coderdtest.Options{
+		DeploymentValues: dt,
+	}
+}
+
 type fakeHandler struct {
 	mu                sync.RWMutex
 	succeeded, failed []string