Online Notary — Remote Notarization for Individuals & Businesses
An online notary notarizes your document over a live, recorded video call instead of in person — legally valid because the notary holds a commission in a state that authorizes it. USA Notary serves signers in all 50 states, 24/7, at $25 per document, with most sessions finished in 15–30 minutes.
No account, no appointment, no travel
Remote closings for title & escrow teams
What is an online notary, and is one legally valid?
An online notary is a commissioned notary public who performs the notarial act over live audio-video rather than across a desk — and the act is legally valid when that notary holds a commission in a state that authorizes remote online notarization. The National Association of Secretaries of State reports that "47 states and the District of Columbia have a law that allows for remote e-notarization" (retrieved August 8, 2026).
One detail decides the whole question, and it catches people out: it is the notary's commissioning state that governs, not where you are sitting. That is why USA Notary can serve signers in all 50 states — including states whose own notaries cannot yet notarize remotely. Start with how remote online notarization works, which covers the mechanics and the two acceptance gates in full.
A remote online notarization also leaves more behind than a paper one: the session video, the identity-verification results, and a timestamped audit trail, all of which USA Notary retains for 10 years, or longer where state law requires.
How do you get a document notarized online?
In three steps, and only the middle one is unpredictable — identity verification is where sessions run long, and where the ones that fail, fail.
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Upload the complete document
Every page, in final form, unsigned, with its acknowledgment or jurat wording already on it. A notary cannot choose the certificate for you or fill in blanks.
- 2
Prove your identity
Your government photo ID is checked by credential analysis, then knowledge-based authentication asks a short set of questions drawn from records about your own history.
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Sign on live video, then download
You sign while the notary watches and records; the notary completes the certificate and applies the electronic seal. The finished document is tamper-evident and carries a full audit trail.
What do you need before you start?
A current government photo ID matching the name on the document, the complete unsigned document, a device with a camera and microphone, and every signer available at the same time — each one verifies their own identity separately.
What happens if your ID doesn't verify?
The session stops before any notarial act occurs — a notary cannot wave a failed identity check through, because their own commission depends on establishing identity properly. Failures are usually mundane: a recent move, a shared family name, or a thin credit record makes the knowledge-based questions hard to match. What to do when identity verification fails.
What does it cost?
$25 per document, flat — covering identity verification, the live session with a commissioned notary, the electronic seal, the tamper-evident certificate, and delivery. There is no account fee, no subscription, and no per-page charge for consumers. Commissioned notaries who take assigned signings pay a monthly membership instead: the full pricing breakdown covers both sides, and what a notary costs in each state shows the statutory caps an in-person notary works under.
Which documents can and can't be notarized online?
Most documents that carry an acknowledgment or jurat certificate can be — affidavits, powers of attorney, business agreements, consent letters, deeds and closing packages. Two rules exclude the rest, and the second one surprises people: federal and state law rule out certain categories, and the institution receiving your document can refuse a remote notarization even where the law permits it.
| Document | Online? | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Affidavits, powers of attorney, consent letters, business documents | Yes | General notary work |
| Deeds, mortgages, closing packages | Yes — with the lender and title company's sign-off | Real estate notarization |
| Wills, codicils, testamentary trusts | Excluded by federal law and by many state RON statutes | Can a will be notarized online? |
| Anything the receiving party insists on in wet ink | Legally fine, practically refused | In-person options |
The full list, with the federal exclusions quoted from the statute, is on our online notarization services page.
When is an online notary the wrong choice?
Four situations, and in each one a different route works better. Saying so costs us the sale and saves you the afternoon.
- The receiving party requires wet ink. Some consulates, registrars and lenders will not take a remotely notarized document whatever the law says. Ask them first — the answer takes one phone call and settles everything.
- You bank somewhere with a branch nearby. If your own bank notarizes free and you have a weekday hour, that is cheaper than $25 — how bank notaries work and where to find a free notary.
- A signer cannot appear on camera or clear remote identity verification. An expired ID, no ID, or a signer who cannot manage a video call needs an in-person notary — often a mobile notary who travels to them.
- The document is in an excluded category. Wills and some family-law documents are ruled out by federal law and by many state statutes, regardless of platform.
Everything else — a deadline outside branch hours, no account anywhere, signers in different states, a document that needs to be done tonight — is what online notarization is actually for. See every place to get something notarized compared side by side, including after-hours and 24-hour options.
Do you notarize for businesses and title companies?
Yes — the same recorded session and audit trail that protect an individual signer are what compliance teams need at volume. Every notarization arrives with the session record attached.
Title & Escrow Companies
Close with out-of-state signers using compliant online real estate notarization, and confirm the county's recording path before the session rather than after.
Notarization for Law Firms
Affidavits, powers of attorney and declarations for clients who cannot come in, with a complete audit trail behind every signature.
USA Notary also serves financial institutions, healthcare & senior care providers, and dealerships and automotive businesses — see all industry solutions or browse every online notarization service we offer.
Ready to notarize online?
Have your photo ID and the complete, unsigned document ready and a session takes 15–30 minutes. Review the flat $25 per-document pricing first if you want the full breakdown.
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Commissioned notaries, available 24/7
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Available to signers in all 50 states
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Session recording and journal retained for 10 years
Questions? Contact our team or call 804-767-7500
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about online notarization
Is remote online notarization legal in all states?
The National Association of Secretaries of State reports that 47 states and the District of Columbia have a law allowing remote e-notarization. USA Notary serves signers in all 50 states, because the notary's commissioning state — not the signer's location — is what authorizes the act. Requirements and accepted documents still vary by state and document type.
How long does a remote notarization session take?
Most sessions take 15-30 minutes, depending on document complexity and the number of signers. The process includes identity verification, document review, and the notarization itself. Identity verification is the step that varies most between signers.
What do I need to complete a remote notarization?
A valid government-issued photo ID, a device with a camera and microphone, and the complete document in electronic form — unsigned, in final format, with its notarial certificate wording already on it. Every signer must join the same session and verify their own identity.
How much does an online notary cost?
USA Notary charges a flat $25 per document, which covers identity verification, the live video session with a commissioned notary, the electronic seal, the tamper-evident certificate, and delivery. Commissioned notaries who take assigned signings pay a monthly membership instead.
When should you not use an online notary?
When the party receiving your document requires a wet-ink notarization, when the document is in an excluded category such as a will in many states, when a signer cannot appear on camera or complete remote identity verification, or when a free in-person option at your own bank is genuinely convenient. Each of those has a better route than a remote session.
Are you a commissioned notary?
USA Notary is a two-sided platform: it assigns paid online signings to member notaries and gives them the tools to run their own book of clients. Platform access is a paid membership — see how signings are assigned, what the platform requires, and what membership costs. Not commissioned yet? Start with how to become a notary in your state.
Sources
- Remote Electronic Notarization — National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) — retrieved August 8, 2026
Published July 9, 2026 · Last updated: August 8, 2026 · Written by Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary.
This page is general information about online notarization, not legal advice. State remote-notarization rules change; confirm current requirements with your state's notary authority and confirm with the party receiving your document that it accepts a remotely notarized version.