How to Notarize a Lease Agreement Online

Does a lease agreement need to be notarized, and can you notarize documents online for one? Most residential lease agreements, anything a year or less, don’t need notarization anywhere. The requirement usually kicks in only for long-term leases, at a length threshold that varies by state, since a long enough lease starts to legally resemble a transfer of interest in the property rather than a simple contract.

Does a Lease Agreement Need to Be Notarized?

In most cases, no. A standard residential lease agreement of a year or less is legally binding once both parties sign it, with no notary required in any state. The requirement shows up for long-term leases; the specific length varies by state, since a sufficiently long lease starts to function like a transfer of an interest in real property rather than a simple contract.

Commercial leases and leases that will be recorded with the county are the two situations most likely to trigger a notarization requirement even at a shorter length. If you’re unsure, checking your specific state’s threshold before signing is safer than assuming a lease of any length is exempt.

How Do You Notarize a Lease With Online Notarization?

To notarize documents online, including a lease, you upload the unsigned agreement, verify your identity, join a live video session with a commissioned notary, sign while they witness electronically, and receive the completed file – typically in about 10 minutes.

1. Prepare the lease – if you’re using a rental lease agreement form, confirm the lease term, rent amount, and both parties’ names are correct – but don’t sign it yet.
2. Upload the document to your notarization platform.
3. Verify your identity with a government ID scan and a knowledge-based or biometric check.
4. Join a live video session, where the notary witnesses the landlord’s (and sometimes tenant’s) signature.
5. Receive your notarized lease, ready to keep on file or submit for recording if required.

If you already have a BlueNotary account, you can start this process directly from your dashboard without re-entering your information.

Which States Require a Notarized Lease, and at What Length?

Notarization thresholds vary significantly by state and change over time – Washington notably removed its general notarization requirement for most long-term leases in 2024, while Ohio requires the lessor’s signature to be acknowledged and North Carolina requires longer leases to be in writing and registered to bind third parties.

If your own rental agreement template doesn’t already flag your state’s notarization threshold, it’s worth double-checking manually before you rely on it for a longer-term lease.

What Is a Memorandum of Lease, and Do You Need to Notarize It Separately?

A memorandum of lease is a short, recordable summary of a lease – covering the parties and term but omitting sensitive details like rent – that some tenants record with the county to protect their occupancy rights against a future sale of the property, without disclosing the full lease terms publicly.

If you record a memorandum of lease instead of the full document, the memorandum itself generally needs to be notarized for the recorder’s office to accept it, even in situations where the underlying lease itself wouldn’t otherwise require notarization. This is most common for commercial tenants with significant investment in a location who want protection if the property changes hands.

Starting from a solid lease agreement template makes drafting a compliant memorandum easier, even though the memorandum itself ends up as a separate, much shorter document.

How Much Does It Cost to Notarize a Lease Online?

BlueNotary charges $25 for one signer and one stamp. A lease usually has two signers, the landlord and the tenant, so the typical price is $30 ($25 plus $5 for the extra signer). Each additional stamp is $8. Sessions typically take about 10 minutes.

Starting from a proper lease agreement template helps avoid delays. BlueNotary’s rental agreement template covers the standard fields landlords and tenants need before notarizing.

For property managers handling multiple leases, the pricing page lists the plans. For property managers, Business Pro costs $47 per seat per month for teams that use their own notaries, with $10 sessions and $0 for additional stamps. That suits dozens of leases.

For a single lease, remote online notarization is generally the fastest way to get it notarized once you’ve confirmed whether your state requires it.

Have a question about a document in another language? Email BlueNotary at [email protected] and the team will help.

FAQ Section

1. Does a lease agreement need to be notarized?

 Usually not for standard residential leases of a year or less. Longer-term leases may require it, depending on your state’s specific threshold.

2. Can you notarize documents online for a lease?

 Yes, in states that authorize remote online notarization. The process typically takes about 10 minutes, including identity verification.

3. At what lease length does notarization become required?

 It varies by state. Ohio requires the lessor’s signature to be acknowledged; North Carolina requires leases over 3 years to be in writing and registered to bind third parties; Washington only if the lease is recorded.

4. Do commercial leases have different notarization rules?

 Often, yes. Commercial leases and any lease being recorded with the county are more likely to trigger a notarization requirement than a short residential lease.

5. What is a memorandum of lease?

 A short, recordable summary of a lease that omits sensitive details like rent, often notarized and recorded to protect a tenant’s rights if the property is sold.

6. How much does it cost to notarize a lease online?

 BlueNotary charges $25 for one signer and one stamp, plus $8 for each additional stamp and $5 for each additional signer. A lease signed by a landlord and a tenant is typically $30. Sessions typically take about 10 minutes.