What is a Remote Online Notary?

A remote online notary (RON) is a notary public who is commissioned to conduct notarizations remotely over the internet, using digital tools and audio/video meeting software. The documents used and the verification requirements are not vastly different from in-person notarization, but the electronic tools allow the notary and the signer to be in different physical locations. Reducing in-person transactions was an urgent consideration during the peak of the pandemic, but RON was also found to increase flexibility and convenience in many scenarios. By removing the in-person requirement with remote online notarization, notaries can now work with clients across the nation or even internationally (check local laws and restrictions). Transactions can be fully completed within hours or even minutes, and across time zones. Using a remote online notary eliminates travel time even when conducting a transaction within your own city, making notarizing faster and more convenient for everyone involved.

At the start of 2020, remote online notarization was legal in only 22 states. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, RON was quickly expanded across most states when in-person transactions became logistically impossible. Given the many benefits RON provides its users, remote online notarization adoption will continue to grow well after the pandemic is over. Compared with traditional in-person notarization, RON transactions have been proven to be faster, more convenient, and significantly more secure.

 Security is Paramount

Security has been a primary concern to those unfamiliar with the RON process. You might ask how digital signing be more secure than notarizing in-person and visually confirming IDs? Remote online notarization still contains the same authentication elements which in-person notarizing always has. Notaries still review photo IDs and compare them to their principal. What differs is that with RON, the IDs are also run through a database for validity, and signers must also pass knowledge-based questions for additional security. Only after all these steps, is the notary allowed to proceed to the signing process.

Once signed and notarized, documents are stored electronically and cannot be lost or tampered with after the transaction. Perhaps most important, the recorded video call is saved and can be presented as evidence in the future. RON helps eliminate possible human error or fraud during the notarization process.

Ideal for Everyone

For clients, the online experience is a lot like in-person notarization with the added convince of having their documents notarized from the comfort of their own home, eliminating long commute and wait times. For notaries, RON means saving time and money by avoiding commuting, printing large amounts of paperwork, and eliminating the need for an expensive office space.

New Business Opportunities

Without the constraints of time and location, there are countless business opportunities for a notary operating remotely. Notaries are no longer limited by a physical radius for clients. Many notaries work with companies or individuals in other states or regions who need transactions completed quickly, while maintaining a high level of professionalism (check local laws and restrictions). Most notaries are also able to charge up to 250% more than traditional notarizations and generate a significant profit. Check out our RON ROI Calculator here.

Regardless of what your reason is for becoming a remote online notary, you’ve come to the right place. For more information on how to get started, click here.