Alabama does not allow full remote online notarization by its own notaries. It allows remote ink-signed notarization instead: a notary physically in Alabama witnesses a wet-ink signature on a paper document over recorded video. Alabama rules differ from most states, so confirm what your recipient accepts before you book.
Is online notarization legal in Alabama?
Partly. Alabama’s law, Code of Alabama section 36-20-73.1, lets a notary acknowledge a signature through two-way audio-video communication, but the document must be paper with a wet-ink signature. That is remote ink-signed notarization, or RIN, not remote online notarization with electronic documents. The law took effect July 1, 2021.
The National Notary Association’s summary of Senate Bill 275, which became Act 2021-319, says Alabama requires a remote notarization to be performed on an original paper document with an original wet-ink signature, requires the notary to be located in Alabama, and requires the session to be recorded and kept for seven years (NNA on SB 275). Act 2023-548 amended the section and kept the requirement that the notary be physically located in Alabama and that the audio-video session be recorded and maintained for seven years (Alabama Act 2023-548). The Act also bars remote notarization of absentee ballot applications and ballots.
Some websites call Alabama’s rule remote online notarization. The more accurate description is that Alabama notaries cannot use full RON platforms with electronic documents, per BlueNotary’s own help center, which says Alabama notaries cannot perform traditional RON but can perform remote ink notarization (BlueNotary help center: Alabama RIN).
A recent change matters if you are abroad. Two Alabama remote notary services say remote ink notarization for signers outside the United States ended on September 30, 2026, and that from October 1, 2026 the signer must be in the United States (Alabama Remote Notary; McCurty Notary). Those are notary-service sources, so confirm with the notary.
How does remote notarization work in Alabama?
In Alabama’s remote ink process, the signer gets the paper document, meets the notary by recorded video, signs with ink while the notary watches, and then sends the original to the notary, who applies the wet-ink signature and seal. It takes longer than electronic notarization because paper moves by mail or courier.
1. Print the document and leave it unsigned.
2. Confirm that the recipient accepts a remote ink notarization.
3. Schedule a video session with an Alabama notary, who is physically in Alabama.
4. Show identification; the notary checks your ID and reviews public or private data sources.
5. Sign in ink while the notary watches on video.
6. Send the original to the notary, who completes the certificate and returns the notarized original.
A law-firm summary of the 2023 Act says the notary’s recording must include the date and time, a description of the documents, an attestation that the notary is physically in Alabama, and a description of how identity was verified, and that if the notary verifies identity with IDs, the notary must also review public or private data sources (Attorneys Insurance Mutual). The act is dated from when the notary witnesses the signature (NNA on SB 275).
BlueNotary’s Alabama help article describes the same RIN conditions: an original wet signature on the document and an attestation that the Alabama notary was physically in the state. It adds that Alabama residents can still have documents notarized online by online notaries in other states (BlueNotary help center). Whether a given recipient accepts that is the recipient’s decision, so ask first.
How much does an online notary in Alabama cost?
Alabama caps the notary fee at $10 per notarial act, including remote acts on paper documents, according to the National Notary Association’s fee chart. Travel fees are set by the notary. Platform or courier charges can add to the total, so ask what a quote includes.
| Item | Alabama rule | Source |
| Acknowledgment, jurat, oath | Up to $10 per act | NNA fee chart |
| Remote act | Up to $10, paper documents only | NNA fee chart |
| Travel fee | Set by the notary | NNA fee chart |
| BlueNotary, one signer, one stamp | $25 | BlueNotary fee schedule, checked October 2026 |
| BlueNotary extras | $8 per extra stamp, $5 per extra signer | Witness free if you bring one, $10 if BlueNotary provides one |
The NNA’s chart lists Alabama at $10 for acknowledgments, jurats, oaths and remote acts on paper documents, and lists Alabama among states where notaries set their own travel fees (National Notary Association). Older sources quote $5, because Act 2023-548 raised the cap from $5 to $10, so confirm the current figure with your county probate office.
BlueNotary’s rates are on its fee schedule. A two-signer document with one stamp would be $30. How a platform’s price compares with the statutory cap is for the provider to explain. Teams that notarize often can see plans on the pricing page.
How do online mortgage closing and digital closing work in Alabama?
An electronic mortgage closing or digital closing moves signing online. In Alabama, the wet-ink requirement for remote acts by Alabama notaries shapes the options, so the lender, the title company, and the county probate office decide what they accept. Ask them before you plan an online mortgage closing.
Fannie Mae describes eClosing patterns from hybrid closings with some wet-signed documents, to in-person electronic closings, to fully remote closings that use remote online notarization for the documents requiring a notary (Fannie Mae eClosing scenarios). Its May 2026 announcement removed the requirement to keep the video recording for loans closed with RON, requires platforms to follow the MISMO RON Standards Version 2.0 (Draft) except the identification section, and requires the RON audit trail to be kept in the loan file (SEL-2026-05). Those rules do not change Alabama’s paper requirement for remote acts by Alabama notaries.
For buyers, the Closing Disclosure is due at least three business days before closing for most mortgages (CFPB). BlueNotary’s closing package is $99 with no extra stamps or signers, and $45 on Business Pro and Closing Pro plans (confirmed October 2026). Whether it can serve an Alabama closing depends on the lender and title company, so title teams can start with the title and real estate page.
What can be notarized remotely in Alabama?
Alabama’s remote process is limited to acknowledgments on paper documents, and it excludes voting documents. Documents often notarized this way include powers of attorney, deeds, consent forms, and authorization letters, subject to what the recipient accepts. Real estate and court documents deserve extra care.
A guide to the Alabama law says remote notarization is limited to acknowledgments (NNA state page), and the statute bars remote notarization of absentee ballot applications and ballots (Act 2023-548). BlueNotary’s help center says it can accept most documents, excluding those submitted to a foreign embassy, codicils and testamentary trusts, and Form I-9, and that acceptance is up to the receiving party.
• Often a fit: powers of attorney, deeds, consent forms, and authorization letters.
• Check first: real estate closing documents and court filings.
• Not allowed remotely: absentee ballot applications and ballots.
When is an in-person or out-of-state online notary better for Alabama signers?
In-person is often better when a recipient requires an Alabama notary or wet ink, because the in-person fee cap is only $10. An online notary commissioned elsewhere can be better when you need speed or the signers are far apart, provided the recipient accepts it.
| Your situation | Better first choice |
| One simple signature and a local notary is nearby | In-person Alabama notary, given the $10 cap |
| The recipient requires an Alabama notary or paper original | In-person or Alabama remote ink notarization |
| After hours, a weekend, or you cannot travel | Online notary by video, if the recipient accepts it |
| Signers in different cities or states | Online notary; confirm acceptance first |
| Mortgage or title document | Whatever the lender and title company require; ask first |
If you only need a signature and no notary, BlueNotary’s eSign may be enough. See the remote online notarization page and the guide to how online notarization works for how BlueNotary’s service works.
Want to see how remote notarization works with BlueNotary? See How Online Notarization Works and check what your recipient accepts.
FAQs
1. Does Alabama allow remote online notarization?
Not in full. Alabama allows remote ink-signed notarization under Code section 36-20-73.1, where the document is paper with a wet-ink signature, not electronic documents.
2. Does the notary have to be in Alabama?
Yes. An Alabama notary performing a remote ink notarization must be physically in Alabama, and the session must be recorded and kept for seven years.
3. What is the most a notary can charge in Alabama?
According to the National Notary Association, up to $10 per notarial act, including remote acts on paper documents. Older sources quote $5.
4. Can I notarize online from outside the United States?
Notary-service sources say remote ink notarization for signers abroad ended September 30, 2026. Confirm with the notary before you book.
5. Can I use an electronic mortgage closing in Alabama?
It depends on the lender, title company, and county. Alabama’s remote law requires paper and wet ink for remote acts by Alabama notaries, so ask your closing agent.
6. Will the other party accept an online notarization?
Often, but not always. Courts, lenders, agencies, and some recipients set their own rules, so confirm before you book.
