To become an online notary, you first hold an active traditional notary commission, then add a separate remote online notarization authorization by completing any state-required training, setting up approved technology, and filing an application with the office that commissions notaries in your state. As of early 2025, 45 states and the District of Columbia have permanent laws allowing remote online notarization, usually called RON. Depending on how fast your state processes applications, the full path takes anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months.
Start With an Active Traditional Commission
You cannot skip to the online credential. Every state treats a current, in-good-standing traditional notary commission as a prerequisite for RON authorization. The digital credential sits on top of the paper one.
Traditional notary requirements are fairly consistent. You need to be at least 18, maintain legal residency or employment in the commissioning state, and pass a background check. A felony or any conviction involving fraud or dishonesty disqualifies applicants in most places. Your commission must have no pending disciplinary actions or suspensions. If your traditional commission is close to expiring, renew it before applying for RON so your digital authorization isn’t tied to a lapsed base.
Complete RON Training (and an Exam, if Your State Requires One)
A traditional commission shows you understand basic notarial duties. Remote notarization adds technology handling and digital identity verification that face-to-face work doesn’t involve, so many states require a dedicated RON course before you apply. Course length varies, but the material usually covers the legal framework for electronic notarization, how to run an audio-video session, identity proofing, and electronic journal management.
Some states go further and require a proctored exam. Indiana, Montana, Nevada, and Ohio are among those that test applicants on RON-specific knowledge before granting authorization. Even where no exam is required, a course from a recognized provider strengthens your application and helps you avoid mistakes once you start taking sessions. Most platform providers also offer their own onboarding training, which is separate from any state-mandated education.
Set Up the Required Technology
RON needs a different toolkit than a stamp and embosser. Before you apply, you’ll want these pieces in place:
- An electronic seal and signature. Your digital seal carries the same information as your physical stamp and is paired with a digital certificate from a provider such as IdenTrust. The certificate cryptographically binds your identity to each document and makes any later alteration detectable.
- A reliable computer with a high-definition webcam and clear microphone. Choppy video or muffled audio can derail a session and may violate your state’s communication technology standards.
- A subscription to an approved RON platform. The platform runs the audio-video connection, identity verification, document preparation, and electronic journal. Monthly subscriptions typically run $15 to $25, though some platforms charge per transaction.
Your state’s commissioning authority publishes a list of approved or compliant platforms. Signing up with one that isn’t on the list can invalidate your notarizations, so check first.
File Your RON Application
With the prerequisites met, training done, and a platform picked, you can file. Most states handle applications through an online portal run by the Secretary of State or an equivalent office. A typical submission includes:
- Your current notary commission number and expiration date, so the state can link the RON authorization to your existing record.
- The name of your chosen RON platform, which the state checks against its approved list.
- Samples of your electronic seal and signature, uploaded directly for verification.
- A surety bond, if your state requires one specifically for RON. Florida, for example, requires a $25,000 RON bond on top of the $7,500 traditional notary bond. Amounts vary widely.
- Errors and omissions insurance tailored to electronic notarizations where the state requires it. Basic coverage is often under $30 per year for $25,000 in coverage, with higher limits costing more.
- An application fee, generally $20 to $100 depending on the state.
The state reviews your materials to confirm your technology and documentation meet legal standards. Processing times run from a few business days to several weeks. Approval usually arrives by email, confirming you can start performing remote notarizations through your platform.
How a Remote Notarization Actually Runs
Once authorized, each session goes through the platform using two layered identity checks. The first is credential analysis: the software scans the signer’s government ID and checks its security features against known templates to confirm the ID is genuine and unaltered. The second is knowledge-based authentication, or KBA, where the system pulls questions from the signer’s personal financial history and public records, such as a past home address or a mortgage balance from a particular month. The signer must answer enough questions correctly within a set time window. If they fail, the session cannot proceed.
Documentation is stricter than for traditional notarization. You keep a secure electronic journal with the date and time of each session, the type of notarial act, the signer’s name, how you verified their identity, and a description of the document. The journal must be tamper-evident and protected by password or similar authentication. On top of that, most states with permanent RON laws require a complete audio-video recording of each session. The standard retention period for both the journal and the recording is 10 years. Most platforms include secure storage, but confirm their retention policies actually meet your state’s minimum rather than assuming they do.
Fees You Can Charge
Most states set a statutory maximum per notarial act. RON caps tend to run higher than in-person caps because of the technology involved. Typical maximums fall between $5 and $30 per signature or act, with $25 a common figure. A handful of states set no statutory maximum. Some states also let notaries charge a separate technology or platform fee on top of the notarization fee.
If you work as a notary signing agent on loan closings, most of your income usually comes from the signing agent fee rather than the per-notarization charge. That split matters at tax time.
How Notary Income Is Taxed
Notary fees get unusual tax treatment. You report all fees received for notarial acts as gross income on Schedule C, but those fees are exempt from self-employment tax. The exemption exists because a notary public holds a public office, and the Internal Revenue Code excludes performance of public office functions from “trade or business” for self-employment tax purposes.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 1402 Definitions
Only fees charged for the notarial act itself qualify for the exemption. Travel fees, document delivery charges, printing costs, and signing agent fees for services beyond the notarization are all subject to self-employment tax if your net earnings from those services exceed $400 in a year.2Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 (2025), Taxable and Nontaxable Income Separate notarial fees from non-notarial fees on your Schedule C. Mixing them either costs you money in unnecessary self-employment tax or exposes you to penalties for underpaying.
Where the Signer Can Be
Under most state RON laws, you must be physically located in your commissioning state when you perform the notarization, but the signer can be anywhere, including another state or another country. That reach makes RON especially useful for real estate closings, estate documents, and multi-party business transactions.
Interstate recognition is the open question. Most states accept notarizations performed remotely under another state’s RON laws, but inconsistencies exist. The SECURE Notarization Act, introduced in Congress in 2025, would set minimum federal standards and require every federal court and every state to recognize notarizations performed under any qualifying state RON law.3United States Congress. Text – 119th Congress (2025-2026) SECURE Notarization Act of 2025 As of early 2025 the bill has been introduced but not enacted. Until it passes, confirm that the receiving state accepts remotely notarized documents when you handle anything intended for use elsewhere.
Keeping Your Authorization Current
Your RON authorization is tied to your underlying commission. If the base commission expires, the RON authorization goes with it. Most states require you to renew the two separately, and some require continuing education or a repeat RON course before renewing the digital authorization. Put both expiration dates on your calendar. Performing a remote notarization on a lapsed authorization creates the same legal problems as notarizing without a commission at all.
If you change platform providers, most states require an updated registration reflecting the new vendor. The same goes for lapses in your surety bond or E&O coverage. Treat the authorization as an ongoing compliance obligation rather than a one-time filing.