How to Get Documents Notarized Online Without Leaving Home

Notarization is the official witnessing of a signature on a legal document. It used to mean going to a bank, UPS Store, or notary's office in person. That's changed. Remote Online Notarization (RON) is now legal in most US states. It lets you get a document notarized over a video call, from home.

Common documents that require notarization include powers of attorney, real estate deeds, affidavits, and financial documents. Vehicle title transfers, certain contracts, and some forms needed for foreign documents, called apostilles, also qualify. Not all document types qualify for online notarization in every state.

The process works like this. You upload your document to an RON platform, and complete an identity verification — you'll be asked questions about your history based on public records, similar to credit checks. Then you connect via video call with a commissioned notary who witnesses your electronic signature, and you receive a digitally notarized document. The whole process usually takes 15-30 minutes.

Popular RON platforms include Notarize (now Proof), DocuSign Notary, and NotaryCam. Most charge $25-40 per notarization. Some banks and insurance companies now offer free RON services to their customers — worth checking before paying.

RON is accepted as legally valid in most states, but some states still require in-person notarization for specific document types (like real estate deeds in certain states). Always verify your specific document type and state requirements before proceeding with online notarization. You don't want a rejected document.

If online notarization isn't available for your document, banks (particularly credit unions), UPS Stores, shipping and postal stores, libraries, and AAA offices often offer free or low-cost notary services for customers.