Yes, an electronic signature can be notarized, and in most of the country it’s now a routine transaction. Federal law treats electronic signatures as legally equivalent to handwritten ones for most documents, and 47 states plus the District of Columbia allow notaries to complete the act over a live video connection with a signer who isn’t in the room.1National Association of Secretaries of State. Remote Electronic Notarization The mechanics look different from handing a driver’s license across a counter, but the legal effect is the same.
The Two Ways It Happens
Electronic notarization exists in two forms, and knowing which one you’re arranging will save confusion later.
In-person electronic notarization (IPEN) puts you in the same room as the notary, exactly like a traditional appointment. The only change is the tool: you sign on a tablet or screen instead of paper, and the notary applies a digital seal instead of an ink stamp.
Remote online notarization (RON) is the version most people are asking about. You and the notary are in different places and meet over a live audio-video session. Your identity is verified through technology-based checks before and during the call. This is what has grown quickly since 2020, and it’s what the rest of this article walks through.
How a Remote Online Notarization Session Works
A RON session follows a predictable sequence. You upload your document to a secure notarization platform and create an account. Before you get on video, the platform runs two identity checks.
The first is knowledge-based authentication. The system pulls from public and private records and generates personal questions only you should be able to answer, covering things like past addresses, loan amounts, or vehicle history. The second is credential analysis: you photograph your government-issued ID, and the platform checks it for signs of tampering.
Once you clear both checks, you join a live video call with a commissioned notary. The notary reviews your verification results, compares your ID to your face on screen, and asks you to confirm your identity and your willingness to sign. If satisfied, the notary watches while you sign electronically, then applies their own electronic signature and digital seal. The platform records the session and creates an electronic journal entry.
What You Need on Your End
The technology requirements are modest. You need a computer or mobile device with a working camera, microphone, and speakers, plus a stable internet connection. Most platforms run in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, and your browser will need permission to use your camera and microphone.
You’ll also need a valid government-issued photo ID, usually a driver’s license or passport. If the credential analysis can’t verify the ID, the session stops there. A quiet, well-lit space is worth the small effort; the notary has to be able to see your face clearly and match it to your ID.
Documents That Can’t Be Notarized Electronically
This is where readers most often get caught out. The federal law that makes electronic signatures generally valid, the ESIGN Act, carves out specific categories where the electronic-equivalence rule simply doesn’t apply.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 7003 – Specific Exceptions Those categories include:
- Wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts, which in nearly every state still require wet-ink signatures and physical witnesses
- Family law matters such as adoption and divorce documents
- Court orders and official court filings, including briefs, pleadings, and notices
- Cancellation or termination notices for utilities, health or life insurance, mortgage default or foreclosure on a primary residence, and product safety recalls
- Shipping and handling documentation for hazardous or toxic materials
States can add their own restrictions on top of the federal list. Some allow electronic notarization broadly but still prohibit it for self-proved wills. Before you schedule a RON session for anything touching estate planning or family court, confirm the rules in the notary’s commissioning state.
Signing From Outside the United States
One practical strength of RON is that the signer can be almost anywhere. The notary has to be physically located in a U.S. state that authorizes RON and must follow that state’s rules, but nothing requires the signer to be on U.S. soil. That makes it useful for Americans living abroad, service members overseas, and anyone dealing with U.S. legal or financial paperwork from a foreign country.
Before you rely on it, check three things: that the receiving party (a bank, agency, or court) will accept a RON-notarized document, that the country you’re in recognizes U.S. notarizations, and whether an apostille is required. If one is, you’ll usually get it from the Secretary of State in the notary’s commissioning state after the session.
What It Costs
A RON session typically runs between $25 and $50, which is more than a walk-in notarization at a bank or shipping store. The fee usually covers both the notary’s charge and the platform’s technology cost. Some platforms bill per signature rather than per session, so a document that needs several notarized signatures can push the total higher. Weighed against the time and travel saved, most signers find the premium reasonable.
The Legal Footing
Two laws do the heavy lifting. The ESIGN Act says a signature or contract can’t be denied legal effect solely because it’s electronic,3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 7001 – General Rule of Validity and it defines an electronic signature broadly enough to cover almost any electronic sound, symbol, or process a person adopts with intent to sign.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 7006 – Definitions At the state level, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (adopted everywhere except New York, which has its own equivalent) reinforces the same principle. State RON statutes then set the specific rules for how a remote session must be conducted and what records must be kept.
A federal bill, the SECURE Notarization Act, was reintroduced in the 119th Congress in early 2025 and would set a nationwide standard letting a notary commissioned in any RON-authorized state serve signers in any other state.5Congress.gov. H.R.1777 – 119th Congress (2025-2026) SECURE Notarization Act It has been referred to committee but has not advanced. Until it moves, cross-state RON transactions still depend on each state’s individual rules.