Need a document notarized but don’t have time to meet a notary in person? A remote online notary can often help whether you’re at home, at work, traveling, in another state, or even outside the United States.
Remote online notarization (RON) uses secure audio-video technology to connect you with a commissioned online notary electronically. Instead of meeting across a desk, you meet with the notary through a secure online platform.
You may also hear this service called a virtual notary, online notary, e-notary, RON notary, or remote notary. Whatever name you hear, the idea is the same: technology allows you to complete an eligible notarization without traveling to the notary’s physical location.
PennySmart Group offers notary services, including remote online notarization.
Is Remote Online Notarization Legal in Florida?
Yes. Florida has authorized remote online notarization since January 1, 2020. Florida’s Remote Online Notarization laws allow a properly registered Florida online notary to perform an online notarization while the signer or witnesses are somewhere else.
The Florida notary must be physically located in Florida during the notarization. However, the signer does not have to be in Florida. The signer can be in another Florida city, another state, or even another country.
Florida law specifically addresses online notarizations when the signer is outside the United States. It also allows certain foreign passports to serve as identification credentials. Therefore, remote online notarization can offer a convenient option for someone living or traveling abroad who needs a document notarized under Florida law.
When a signer is outside Florida, the notary must also confirm that the signer wants a Florida notary to perform the notarial act under Florida law. In addition, the receiving organization may have its own requirements, particularly if someone plans to use the document in another country. For that reason, you should confirm that the receiving party will accept the remotely notarized document before scheduling.
The Florida Department of State also provides information about Florida’s Remote Online Notary program and its technology and security requirements.
How Does a Remote Online Notary Work?
At PennySmart Group, we start preparing the remote online notarization before the video session. Gathering the document and participant information in advance helps us prepare the session and makes the process easier for everyone involved.
1. Send the Document and Participant Information
First, send the document that requires notarization along with information about everyone who needs to participate. Depending on the document, participants may include one or more signers, witnesses, or observers.
The notary reviews the document to identify the required notarial act and prepare the online session. If you’re unfamiliar with acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, or other notarial acts, our guide to notarization in Florida explains some of the most common types.
2. We Prepare the Online Notarization
Next, the notary uploads the document to a secure RON platform. Depending on the transaction, the notary may use a platform such as BlueNotary, OneNotary, Proof, or another remote online notarization provider.
Once the document is ready and the session is scheduled, the platform sends each participant an individual link. Signers, witnesses, and observers may receive links specific to their roles. Therefore, participants should use the link sent directly to them rather than forwarding someone else’s invitation.
3. Participants Verify Their Identity
Before joining the session, participants complete the required identity-verification process. This step is one of the major differences between a legitimate remote online notarization and simply watching someone sign a document through an ordinary video call.
Depending on the circumstances and technology, identity verification may include presentation of a government-issued identification credential, electronic credential analysis, and identity proofing through knowledge-based authentication (KBA) or another legally compliant method. Some identity-proofing systems may also use biometric technology.
If a participant cannot successfully complete the required identity verification, the remote online notary cannot proceed with the notarization.
4. Meet With the Notary Online
After completing identity verification, the participants enter the secure audio-video session. The notary confirms the participants’ identities and completes the requirements for the particular notarial act.
For example, the notary may obtain an acknowledgment or administer an oath or affirmation, depending on the document. The signer then electronically signs the document. Afterward, the notary completes the appropriate electronic notarial certificate and applies the notary’s electronic signature and seal.
Throughout the session, real-time, two-way audio and video allow the notary and participants to see and hear one another. As a result, people can participate even when they are hundreds or thousands of miles apart.
5. Receive the Completed Documents
Once the online notarization is complete, PennySmart Group sends the finalized electronic documents and applicable invoice electronically. This means you can receive your completed document without waiting for a paper original to arrive in the mail.
Is Remote Online Notarization Valid and Recorded?
Yes. A remote online notarization performed according to Florida law is a valid Florida notarization. Florida law determines the validity of an online notarization performed by a Florida online notary regardless of where the signer or witnesses were physically located at the time.
Florida also requires a record of the transaction. The online session is recorded, and an electronic journal documents the notarization. Generally, Florida law requires the electronic journal and audio-video recording to be retained for at least 10 years.
These safeguards help distinguish a legitimate RON notary session from an ordinary Zoom, FaceTime, or other video call.
When Is a Remote Online Notary Useful?
A remote online notary can be useful whenever distance or circumstances make an in-person appointment inconvenient. For example, you may be traveling and need a document notarized before returning home. An elderly or mobility-limited family member may have difficulty traveling to a notary’s office. Likewise, spouses, business partners, signers, or witnesses may be in different locations but need to participate in the same transaction.
Remote online notarization can be particularly helpful when you’re outside the United States but need a document notarized under Florida law. Instead of searching for a local notary or traveling to a U.S. embassy or consulate, you may be able to meet with a Florida remote notary online.
Businesses can also benefit from virtual notarization. An online notary can help coordinate documents when customers, employees, vendors, or other parties are in different cities, states, or countries.
However, not every document or transaction is suitable for remote notarization. Some documents have special execution or witnessing requirements, and receiving organizations may impose additional rules. Furthermore, documents intended for use in another country may require an apostille or other authentication after notarization.
Need a Remote Online Notary?
PennySmart Group provides remote online notary services to make the process convenient and straightforward. We can coordinate participants, prepare the document on the RON platform, schedule the session, complete the required notarial process, and deliver the completed documents electronically.
Whether you’re in Southwest Florida, another state, or abroad, a remote online notary may allow you to complete your notarization without making an in-person trip.
Learn more about PennySmart Group’s notary services or contact us to find out whether remote online notarization may work for your document.
PennySmart Group LLC provides notary services and does not provide legal advice. The signer is responsible for determining whether a particular document or receiving organization permits electronic signatures and remote online notarization.