Yes, online notarization is legal in Indiana. Under Indiana Code 33-42-17, effective July 1, 2020, a notary who registers with the Secretary of State as a remote notary can notarize by video while physically in Indiana, even for a signer outside the state. A remote act may carry a fee of up to $25.
Is online notarization legal in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana’s remote notarization chapter, IC 33-42-17, took effect on July 1, 2020. A notary may perform a remote notarial act only after registering as a remote notary public with the Secretary of State, must use technology the Secretary of State has approved, and must be physically in Indiana during the act. The signer may be outside Indiana.
The statute says a notary public may perform a remote notarial act only after registering as a remote notary public with the secretary of state, and that a registered remote notary may perform a remote act only while physically present in Indiana (IC 33-42-17-2, as summarized by the NNA; Indiana Board of Accounts slides). Technology used for remote acts must first be approved by the Secretary of State (IC 33-42-17-6), and the electronic notarial certificate must specify that the act is a remote notarial act (IC 33-42-17-7). Indiana’s Secretary of State presentation adds that the signer may be located outside Indiana (Indiana Secretary of State presentation). The chapter also presumes a remote notarial act valid when properly performed (IC 33-42-17-10), per the NNA state law summary.
How does an online notary work in Indiana?
You upload an unsigned document, verify your identity, meet an Indiana-registered remote notary on live video, sign while the notary watches, and receive the sealed file. The notary must keep an electronic journal, and the certificate must say the act was remote.
1. Prepare the document as a PDF, complete and unsigned.
2. Confirm that the person or office receiving it accepts online notarization.
3. Upload the document, choose Notarize Now or schedule, and verify your identity.
4. Join the live video session and show your ID to the notary.
5. Sign while the notary watches; the notary completes the electronic certificate and seal.
6. Download the sealed copy and send it as delivered.
An Indiana Secretary of State presentation says remote notaries must keep an electronic journal of all remote notarizations, keep it in the notary’s exclusive control, prevent unauthorized access, and maintain it for at least ten years (Indiana Secretary of State presentation). The Secretary of State’s final rule also bars a remote act if the principal does not meet the identification and communication requirements (75 IAC 7-5-1 final rule).
On BlueNotary, the steps follow its signer instructions, last updated July 14, 2026, and its identity guide lists a driver’s license, REAL ID or state ID, passport card, passport book, and permanent resident card as accepted options, with KBA or a biometric scan and a passport book plus biometrics for non-U.S. citizens. For a full walkthrough, see BlueNotary’s guide to how online notarization works.
How much does an online notary in Indiana cost?
Indiana sets maximum fees. A notary may charge $10 per notarial act, and a remote notary may charge up to $25 per remote notarial act. Remote notaries also pay the state a $100 authorization fee. Compare quotes, since platforms add their own charges on top of or inside the price.
| Item | Indiana rule | Source |
| Traditional notarial act | Up to $10 per act | Indiana Secretary of State presentation |
| Remote notarial act | Up to $25 per remote act | Indiana Secretary of State presentation; IC 33-42-17-9 |
| Remote notary authorization | $100 filing fee paid by the notary | Indiana Secretary of State presentation |
| 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 $10 and $25 figures appear in an Indiana Secretary of State presentation, and a compliance guide gives the same limits under Indiana Code (LegalClarity). Confirm current caps with the Secretary of State.
BlueNotary’s rates are on its fee schedule. A two-signer document with one stamp would be $30. Teams that notarize often can see plans on the pricing page.
How does a notary for real estate work in an online real estate closing?
In a remote mortgage closing, the notary verifies each signer’s identity over live video, watches them sign, and completes the notarial certificates on the documents that require them. The lender, the title company, and the county recorder decide what they accept, so confirm acceptance before you plan a remote closing.
Fannie Mae’s eClosing scenarios describe three patterns: a hybrid closing with some wet-signed documents, an in-person electronic closing, and a fully remote closing using remote online notarization, where the documents that require a notary are remotely notarized (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 are lender rules, so the lender or closing agent confirms what applies.
For the buyer, the Closing Disclosure must be delivered at least three business days before closing for most mortgages (CFPB). Indiana recorders were briefed on remote notarizations when the law took effect (Indiana Board of Accounts, July 2020), but whether a specific county recorder, lender, or title insurer accepts a particular remote document is theirs to say.
BlueNotary’s closing package is $99 with no extra stamps or signers, and $45 on Business Pro and Closing Pro plans (confirmed October 2026), and its fee schedule describes a closing package as real estate documents excluding the seller’s side package. Title teams can learn more on the title and real estate page.
What must an Indiana remote notary do?
An Indiana remote notary must hold a current commission, meet continuing education requirements, complete remote notary education and an exam, register with the Secretary of State, use approved technology, be physically in Indiana, and keep an electronic journal. These duties belong to the notary, not to you as the signer.
| Duty | What Indiana law provides |
| Commission | Hold a current Indiana commission and meet continuing education requirements (IC 33-42-17-2) |
| Registration | Register as a remote notary public with the Secretary of State before any remote act (IC 33-42-17-2) |
| Technology | Use technology approved by the Secretary of State (IC 33-42-17-6) |
| Location | Be physically in Indiana when performing a remote act (IC 33-42-17-2) |
| Certificate | State that the act is a remote notarial act (IC 33-42-17-7) |
| Journal | Keep an electronic journal of remote acts for at least ten years (IC 33-42-17-8; Secretary of State presentation) |
These duties come from the NNA’s Indiana reference and the Indiana state law summary. 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.
When is an in-person notary better in Indiana?
In-person is often better for one simple signature, because the $10 cap is lower than the $25 remote cap and many local notaries charge little. It is also better when a lender, recorder, or court requires wet ink, or when a document carries rules that make remote notarization unsuitable.
| Your situation in Indiana | Better first choice |
| One simple signature and a local notary is nearby and open | In-person notary, given the $10 cap |
| After hours, a weekend, or you cannot travel | Online notary by video |
| Signers in different cities or states | Online notary; each signer joins from their own device |
| Remote mortgage closing | Whatever the lender and title company require; ask first |
| Recipient requires wet ink or a stamped paper original | In-person notary |
If you only need a signature and no notary, BlueNotary’s eSign may be enough. See the remote online notarization page for how BlueNotary’s service works.
Document ready to sign? Notarize Online in Indiana with BlueNotary after you confirm the receiving party accepts it.
FAQs
1. Is remote online notarization legal in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana Code 33-42-17 took effect July 1, 2020 and lets registered Indiana remote notaries notarize by video while physically in Indiana.
2. Does the notary have to be in Indiana?
Yes. A remote notary must be physically in Indiana during the act. According to the Secretary of State, the signer may be outside Indiana.
3. What is the most an online notary can charge in Indiana?
Up to $25 per remote notarial act, compared with $10 for a traditional act, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s presentation.
4. Can I close on a house with an online notary in Indiana?
Sometimes. Remote closings depend on the lender, the title insurer, and the county recorder accepting remote notarization. Ask your closing agent before you schedule.
5. Is the session recorded?
Indiana requires remote notaries to keep an electronic journal for at least ten years. Lender requirements for recordings differ, and Fannie Mae no longer requires keeping the video for RON loans.
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.
