How to Get your Documents Signed and Notarized Online

Notarizing documents online is now widely accepted. It offers numerous benefits for both notaries and clients, including significant time savings and the convenience of working from home. But beyond convenience, the primary reason to adopt Remote Online Notarization (RON) is security.

Think of a RON platform as your shield against fraud. It provides peace of mind by helping you meet strict compliance requirements. Most states require RON vendors to offer specific features to protect the integrity of the notarization journey.

1. Identity Proofing and Credential Analysis

Before you sign or notarize, you must verify that the client is who they say they are. This process typically involves two phases:

• Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA): The client answers a tailored multiple-choice questionnaire based on their personal and financial history. Since this is linked to their Social Security number, it provides a reliable layer of protection.

• ID Verification: If the client passes the KBA, they provide a government-issued ID. The software analyzes the ID against a global database to check for security elements and validity.

Some systems offer “Selfie Matching,” allowing the notary to compare a live photo of the signer against the image on their ID for even greater certainty.

2. Video Signing Meetings and Recording

The video meeting allows you to interact with your client in real-time to establish they are a real person. You can walk them through the documents before they sign.

Most state regulations require these sessions to be recorded. This recording serves as irrefutable evidence that the notarization took place. It is best practice to store these recordings in a secure cloud environment for future access.

3. ID Visual Check (Remote Presentation)

During the live video call, the client holds their physical ID up to the camera. This “Remote ID Presentation” allows the notary to perform a manual visual check. You can compare the physical ID to the data captured during the initial verification phase. While simple, it adds an essential layer of visual confirmation to the recorded session.

4. Tamper-Proof Document Signing

To ensure documents aren’t altered after the fact, RON platforms use Digital Signatures and Digital Certificates.

• Digital Certificates: These act as your digital identity, issued by authorities like IdenTrust.

• Tamper Evidence: If any change is made to the document after it is sealed, the digital signature becomes invalid. This ensures the document remains legitimate and unaltered.

5. Electronic Notary Journal

Once the session ends, an electronic journal automatically stores key details: the client’s name, document type, state, date, and time. Because the system syncs this data automatically, there is no need for manual entry. This ensures your records are always accurate and up-to-date.