Some documents need more than a signature. They need a notary to confirm who signed. For decades that meant visiting an office in person. Remote online notarization (RON) lets you do it over a video call, with the notarized document delivered as a PDF. Most US states now permit it, and similar remote processes are spreading elsewhere.
How RON works
- Upload the document to a RON platform. It must usually be unsigned, because you sign during the session.
- Verify your identity. Platforms typically use knowledge-based questions (built from your credit history) plus a scan of your government ID.
- Join a video call with a commissioned notary. The notary watches you sign electronically.
- The notary applies an electronic seal and digital certificate. The PDF is digitally signed, so any later change is detectable.
- The session is recorded and kept by the notary or platform for the period required by law.
The whole thing usually takes 10 to 20 minutes.
Where it is accepted
In the US, most states have authorised RON, and documents notarized online in one state are generally recognised in others. Acceptance by the receiving party is the practical question: some county recorders, banks, or foreign authorities have their own rules. Before booking a session, ask whoever will receive the document whether they accept a remotely notarized electronic original.
Outside the US, rules vary widely. Some countries allow remote notarial acts for certain documents; many still require in-person attendance. If the document is going abroad, check whether it also needs an apostille.
What it costs
Fees vary by state and platform, often a modest per-seal fee set by state law plus a platform charge. Additional signers and extra seals cost more.
Preparing your PDF
- Leave the signature lines blank. A document signed before the session usually cannot be notarized.
- Fill in everything else first: names, dates, addresses. Use a browser editor like Docento.app to type into the fields so they are legible.
- Remove blank or extra pages that should not be part of the notarized document. See how to delete PDF pages.
- Make sure the file is not password-protected, or the platform cannot process it.
- Do not flatten fillable fields if the platform needs to place signature tags.
After the session
- Do not edit the notarized PDF. Any change breaks the notary's digital signature, which will then show as invalid. See how to verify a digital signature in a PDF.
- Keep the original electronic file. A printout of a remotely notarized document may need a separate certification to be accepted as an original.
- Archive it as received. See backing up your PDF archive.
RON versus regular e-signatures
Most documents do not need notarization; a standard electronic signature is enough. RON is for documents that specifically require a notary: certain affidavits, powers of attorney, some real estate documents, and vehicle title transfers in some places. See is it legal to sign documents electronically?.
Takeaway
RON turns a trip to the notary into a short video call, with a digitally sealed PDF at the end. Confirm the receiving party accepts it, prepare the document without signing it, and never edit the notarized file afterwards.
