What is a remote online notary?
Remote online notarization, commonly called RON, allows a commissioned and appropriately authorized notary to perform a notarial act when the signer and notary are in different physical locations. Instead of meeting across a desk, they communicate through approved live audio-video technology while the applicable identity verification and electronic notarial requirements are satisfied.
The notary's role is not to approve the business terms of a document or provide legal advice. Depending on the act, a notary may verify identity, witness an acknowledgment, or administer an oath or affirmation. Some documents have additional execution requirements, such as a witness, special wording, or instructions from the agency accepting the document.
The notary must be authorized under the laws of the notary's commissioning jurisdiction. Not every notary or platform is permitted to conduct every kind of remote transaction.
Online notarization is not the same thing as an e-signature
An electronic signature is a way to sign a document digitally. A remote online notarization is an official notarial act involving an authorized notary and a process governed by applicable law. A document can be signed electronically without being notarized. If your document requires notarization, a signature alone may not satisfy that requirement.
Likewise, clicking a checkbox or watching a prerecorded video does not ordinarily substitute for a required live appearance before the notary. The actual notarial session takes place through the authorized platform after your request has been accepted and scheduled.
What happens during a remote notarization?
- Start your request: upload the document you want notarized, identify the people signing it, and describe the type of notarial act if you know it.
- Review eligibility: the notary or support team assesses the document, relevant jurisdiction, receiving-party instructions, signer circumstances, and any requested witnesses.
- Confirm scheduling: the appointment and any applicable charges are confirmed using the existing Notary Ninjas workflow. Submitting a request is not a guarantee of immediate availability.
- Verify signers: at the live session, the authorized technology and notary establish identity according to applicable requirements. The notary may require credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication, or another permissible method.
- Complete the act: signers appear live, give any required acknowledgment or oath, and execute the document as directed. The notary completes the electronic notarial certificate where legally appropriate.
- Receive the result: the completed document is delivered through the applicable notary platform or agreed delivery process. Keep the original electronic record if that is what the receiving agency expects.
What should I have ready?
Your document
Use the complete, correct version, preferably a clear PDF. Do not add signatures or dates prematurely when the notary must witness them live.
Your identification
Have an unexpired government-issued ID accepted by the assigned platform and notary. Specific identity checks depend on jurisdiction and provider.
Working technology
Use a device with camera, microphone, reliable internet access, and the ability to participate in live audio-video communication.
Every signer
List everyone who must appear, their contact information, and any required witness. Each signer may need separate identity verification.
See our signer identity and technical preparation guide for common reasons a session cannot proceed and how to prevent delays.
Will the receiving organization accept my notarized document?
Acceptance is a separate question from whether a notary can perform an act. A court, lender, title company, government agency, employer, foreign authority, or another recipient may have its own rules concerning electronic records, wet ink originals, witnesses, recording, and the form of the notarial certificate.
Before booking, ask the recipient: “Will you accept a remotely electronically notarized document from an authorized notary in the commissioning state, delivered as an electronic file?” If the document must be filed, recorded, or sent abroad, confirm the exact format and whether additional authentication is required.
New York permits electronic notarizations under Executive Law § 135-c subject to registration and other requirements. The New York Department of State's official notary FAQ explains that a New York electronic notary must be physically in New York when performing the act; signers may be elsewhere under the applicable rules. Other commissioning states have different requirements. We check the circumstances rather than promising that remote notarization works for every document or destination.
How much does online notarization cost, and how fast is it?
The intake form currently presents a starting estimate of $25 for the first notarial act and $8 for an additional act in the existing booking workflow. This is a service estimate, not a claim that every item is a statutory notarial fee. Final charges can depend on the act, additional signers, witnesses, and platform services. For New York electronic notaries, the Department of State states that the notarial fee can be up to $25 per electronic notarial act. Verify the confirmed quote before payment.
Appointment times depend on availability, document eligibility, identity verification, and your requested deadline. An urgent request may not be possible in every circumstance. Review the pricing and estimate page and submit your documents early when you have a deadline.
Ready to begin?
Upload your documents first. We'll then ask who needs to sign and when you need the appointment.
Start a remote notary request ↗