Remote Online Notarization: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Check Before You Schedule
- Tenley Cotten
- Jun 26
- 6 min read
Remote online notarization, also called RON, is one of those things that sounds more complicated than it actually is.
At its core, RON means we meet online instead of in person. You still appear before a commissioned notary. I still verify your identity. You still sign the document. I still complete the notarial certificate. The main difference is that the appointment happens through approved audio-video technology instead of across a desk, kitchen table, or clipboard balanced on somebody’s car hood.
Very official. Slightly futuristic. Less running around. My kind of party.
If you’re ready to book, you can schedule your RON session here:
What Is Remote Online Notarization?
Remote online notarization allows a signer to personally appear before a notary using secure audio-video communication technology. In Pennsylvania, RON became a permanent part of Pennsylvania notary law through Act 97 of 2020. The Pennsylvania Department of State explains that the legal requirement for personal appearance can be met through audio-visual electronic communication technology when the notarial act is performed properly. [1]
That means we are not just hopping on FaceTime and calling it a day. A proper RON session must be completed through approved technology that supports identity verification, electronic signing, tamper-evident records, and an audio-video record of the notarization. [2]
In plain English: it is convenient, but it is not casual. There are rules. There is security. There is a process. No digital clown car notarizations here.
How a RON Session Usually Works
Every platform has its own little personality, because of course technology could never just behave, but the general process usually looks like this:
1. You schedule your session
You choose a time that works for you and provide basic information about the notarization. Depending on the document, I may ask what type of notarial act is needed, such as an acknowledgment, jurat, oath, affirmation, or signature witnessing.
If you are not sure, that is okay — but I cannot choose the notarial act for you or tell you what legal wording your document needs. If your document does not already include notarial wording, you may need to ask the receiving party or an attorney what they require.
2. You upload or provide the document
For RON, the document is handled electronically. Please do not sign it before the appointment unless you have specifically been instructed to do so. Many notarizations require the signer to sign during the session while appearing before the notary.
Before uploading, make sure the document is complete and ready for notarization. A notary cannot draft your document, fill in legal terms for you, or tell you whether the document is right for your situation.
3. Your identity is verified
The RON platform will walk you through identity verification. This may include analyzing your government-issued ID, asking knowledge-based authentication questions, using credential analysis, or using other approved identity-proofing tools. Pennsylvania’s remote notarization requirements allow identity to be determined by personal knowledge, a credible witness, or at least two identity-proofing technologies or services. [2]
This is one of the biggest reasons RON is more secure than people sometimes realize. It is not just “show your ID to the webcam and hope for the best.”
4. We meet by live audio-video
During the session, we must be able to see and hear each other clearly. You should be in a quiet place with a reliable internet connection, working camera, working microphone, and enough battery life to survive the appointment without your device dramatically exiting stage left.
During the session, I will confirm your identity, review the notarial requirements, make sure you are signing willingly, and complete the notarial act according to Pennsylvania law.
5. You electronically sign the document
You will sign electronically through the approved platform. I will then complete the electronic notarial certificate and apply my electronic notary seal/signature as required.
Pennsylvania requires the notarial certificate for a remote notarization to disclose that the notarization involved communication technology. [2]
6. The completed document is returned electronically
After the session is complete, you receive the notarized electronic document. Depending on the platform and transaction type, this may be downloaded, emailed, shared through the platform, or sent according to the receiving party’s instructions.
Before You Schedule: Please Confirm the Receiving Party Accepts RON
This is the part I want you to read twice:
Before scheduling a remote online notarization, please confirm that the receiving party will accept an electronically signed and remotely notarized document.
Electronic signatures and electronic records are widely recognized under both federal and Pennsylvania law. The federal E-SIGN Act says that a signature, contract, or record generally cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. Pennsylvania’s Electronic Transactions Act also provides legal recognition for electronic records and electronic signatures. [3] [4]
That said, “electronic signatures are legally recognized” and “the place receiving your specific document will accept this specific electronic document in this specific situation” are not always the same sentence.
Some banks, government offices, courts, recorders, title companies, agencies, schools, or other receiving parties may have their own requirements. They may want wet ink. They may want a particular certificate. They may require a specific platform. They may not accept RON for that document type. They may accept it on Tuesday and act confused on Wednesday. I do not make the receiving party’s policies, and I cannot force them to accept a document after the notarization is complete.
So before you book, ask the receiving party something like:
“Will you accept this document if it is electronically signed and remotely notarized by a Pennsylvania remote online notary?”
If they say yes, wonderful! We love clarity. If they say no, unsure, or “what is RON?” it is better to know that before your appointment.
What You Need for a Smooth RON Appointment
To help your appointment go smoothly, please have:
A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID
A device with a working camera and microphone
A reliable internet connection
Access to your email during the session
The complete document ready to upload or review
A quiet, well-lit place where you can sign without interruption
Confirmation from the receiving party that RON/electronic signatures are acceptable
A laptop or desktop computer is usually best, but some platforms may work on a phone or tablet. If the document is important, complicated, time-sensitive, or connected to a closing, estate matter, legal matter, or government filing, please do not wait until the last possible minute. Technology loves a dramatic entrance, and I prefer boring success.
Where Can the Signer Be Located?
As a Pennsylvania remote online notary, I must be physically located in Pennsylvania at the time I perform the remote notarial act. The signer may be located in Pennsylvania, another U.S. state or territory, or in certain situations, outside the United States, as long as the legal requirements are met. [2]
If you are outside the United States, additional rules may apply. The document generally must relate to a matter before a U.S. court, government agency, property located in the United States, or a transaction substantially connected with the United States, and the act must not be prohibited by the foreign country where the signer is located. [2]
That sounds like a mouthful because it is. When in doubt, ask before booking.
Is RON Secure?
RON is designed to be more than a video call. Pennsylvania’s requirements include approved communication technology, identity verification, tamper-evident technology, and an audio-video recording of the notarization that must be retained for at least ten years. [2]
Also, Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime alone are not acceptable remote notarization technologies in Pennsylvania. [2]
So while RON is convenient, it is still a formal notarial act. Pajama pants may be happening off-camera, but the process itself is serious. Depending on the type of notarial act, you may even be required to raise your right hand to take an oath- just like in some in-person notarizations.
What a Notary Can and Cannot Do
A notary’s job is to verify identity, witness or acknowledge signatures when appropriate, administer oaths or affirmations when required, and complete the notarial certificate properly.
A notary is not an attorney. I cannot give legal advice, draft legal documents, choose the right document for you, explain the legal effect of what you are signing, or tell you whether your receiving party is required to accept it. Pennsylvania law is very clear that a notary public who is not an attorney cannot draft legal records, give legal advice, or practice law. [5]
What I can do is guide you through the notarization process itself, explain what to expect during the RON session, and help make the appointment feel less confusing and less “what fresh paperwork swamp is this?”
Final Thought Before You Book
Remote online notarization can be a wonderful option when you need a notarized document but do not want to rearrange your day, drive across town, or hunt for a notary at the last minute.
Before scheduling, please make sure:
Your document is complete.
You have valid ID.
You can access the technology needed for the session.
The receiving party accepts electronic signatures and remote online notarization.
If all of that checks out, you are in good shape.
Ready to schedule? Use the link below to book your remote online notary session with The Roaming Pen LLC.
*I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in this Commonwealth. I am not allowed to draft legal records, give advice on legal matters, including immigration, or charge a fee for those activities.
Sources
[1] Pennsylvania Department of State — Electronic or Remote Notarization
[2] Pennsylvania Department of State — Remote Notarization: General Information and Requirements
[3] Federal E-SIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001
[4] Pennsylvania Electronic Transactions Act / Pennsylvania UETA
[5] Pennsylvania Department of State — Notaries vs. Notario Público
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