BlueNotary
Is online notary service legal where you live? For the vast majority of Americans, yes – remote online notarization (RON) is now approved in 42 states including Washington, D.C., with Alabama and Connecticut limited to remote-ink notarization, North Carolina and South Carolina pending, and California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Vermont awaiting RON regulations. Availability and the fine print – which statute governs it, what a notary can charge, and how the process works – vary by state. This guide walks through how online notary law works nationally, then breaks down real statute citations and fee caps for three of the most-searched states: Texas, Florida, and Virginia.
Is Online Notary Legal in Your State?
Yes, in nearly every state. As of 2026, 42 states including Washington, D.C. have approved remote online notary services, and the rest are moving that way: Alabama and Connecticut allow remote-ink notarization only, North Carolina and South Carolina are pending, and California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Vermont are awaiting RON regulations. Signers in any of the 50 states can still use an online notary commissioned in an approved state.
One nuance worth understanding before you search by state: RON law governs the notary’s commissioning state, not the signer’s location. Real estate can add its own layer, since lenders and title companies often have their own requirements; the Mortgage Bankers Association tracks state RON adoption for mortgage lending on its RON adoption map.
BlueNotary also publishes a dedicated page for each state, such as Ohio or Michigan, that’s worth checking for any state not covered in detail below.
State Fact Box: Texas Online Notary Law
Yes – online notary service is legal in Texas under Texas Government Code, Chapter 406, Subchapter C, in effect since July 1, 2018. Texas online notaries may charge up to $25 per notarial act, and signers can be located anywhere as long as the notary is physically present in Texas at the time of the session.
| Legal status | Fully legal – permanent RON authorization |
| Governing statute | Tex. Gov’t Code, Ch. 406, Subch. C (§§ 406.101–406.111) |
| Effective date | July 1, 2018 (enacted 2017, HB 1217) |
| Fee cap | $25 per notarial act (§ 406.111), plus other authorized fees under § 406.024 |
| Notary location requirement | Notary must be physically present in Texas; signer may be located anywhere |
State Fact Box: Florida Online Notary Law
Yes – Florida authorizes online notary service under Florida Statutes Part II of Chapter 117 (§§ 117.201–117.305), in effect since January 1, 2020. Florida online notaries may charge up to $25 per notarial act under § 117.275, and Florida-commissioned notaries can serve signers located anywhere in the U.S. or abroad.
| Legal status | Fully legal – permanent RON authorization |
| Governing statute | Fla. Stat. §§ 117.201–117.305 (Ch. 117, Part II) |
| Effective date | January 1, 2020 (enacted 2019, Ch. 2019-71, Laws of Florida) |
| Fee cap | $25 per notarial act (§ 117.275) separate from any RON platform/technology fee |
| Notary location requirement | Notary must be physically located in Florida; principal may be anywhere |
State Fact Box: Virginia Online Notary Law
Yes – Virginia was the first state in the country to permanently authorize online notary service, effective July 1, 2012, under Virginia Code § 47.1-2 et seq. Virginia online notaries may charge up to $25 per electronic or remote notarial act under § 47.1-19, compared with a $5 cap for traditional in-person notarizations.
| Legal status | Fully legal – first state nationally to authorize RON |
| Governing statute | Va. Code § 47.1-2 et seq. (Title 47.1) |
| Effective date | July 1, 2012 |
| Fee cap | $25 per act for electronic/remote notarizations (§ 47.1-19); $5 cap applies to in-person acts |
| Notary location requirement | Notary must be commissioned and located in Virginia |
How Does Online Notary Work, Regardless of State?
However your state’s statute is written, the actual legal document notarization process looks nearly identical everywhere: upload your document, verify your identity, connect live with a commissioned notary over video, sign, and receive a notarized file usually in about 10 minutes.
Upload your document. Most standard formats, including PDFs and scans, are accepted.
Verify your identity. A government ID scan plus a knowledge-based or biometric check confirms who you are.
Join a live video session. A notary commissioned in a RON-authorized state reviews your ID and document in real time.
Sign on camera. The notary witnesses your signature live, satisfying the statute’s presence requirement electronically.
Receive your notarized document. A tamper-evident digital certificate is applied and returned to you immediately.
BlueNotary, a digital notary services platform used across every RON-authorized state, runs this same process no matter which state’s statute applies, so the fact boxes above simply tell you which law is operating behind the scenes. A session with one signer and one stamp costs $25 and takes about 10 minutes, with more than 20,000 certified notaries commissioned in 42+ states available to connect live.
If you already have a BlueNotary account, you can start a new digital notary request directly from your dashboard without re-entering your information. Businesses or individuals comparing costs across plans can review the full breakdown on the BlueNotary pricing page for current digital notary services pricing details.
See current plans on the BlueNotary pricing page.
Ready to get your document notarized? Get a Document Notarized in This State Now – sessions run about 10 minutes and start at $25, with more than 20,000 certified notaries available to connect live.
FAQ Section
1. Is online notary legal in my state?
Almost certainly. 42 states including Washington, D.C. have approved RON as of 2026. Alabama and Connecticut allow remote-ink notarization only, North Carolina and South Carolina are pending, and California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Vermont are awaiting RON regulations. Signers in any state can use a notary commissioned in an approved state.
2. Does the notary’s state or the signer’s state control legality?
The notary’s commissioning state controls. A notary commissioned in a RON-authorized state can generally notarize for signers located anywhere.
3. How much can an online notary charge in Texas, Florida, or Virginia?
All three cap the notarial fee at $25 per act – Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.111, Fla. Stat. § 117.275, and Va. Code § 47.1-19, respectively.
4. Which state passed online notary law first?
Virginia, effective July 1, 2012, was the first state to permanently authorize remote online notarization, under Virginia Code § 47.1-2 et seq.
5. Does an online notary need to be physically located in the state on their commission?
Yes – in Texas, Florida, and Virginia specifically the notary must be physically present in their commissioning state during the session, even though the signer can be elsewhere.
6. How long does an online notary session take?
A typical BlueNotary session, including identity verification, takes about 10 minutes from document upload to a completed, notarized file.
