Yes, using an online notary in Kentucky is legal. Kentucky has allowed remote online notarization (RON) since January 1, 2020, as long as the notary is commissioned in Kentucky, registered with the Secretary of State as an online notary public, and physically located in Kentucky during the session. The signer can be elsewhere in the United States. Kentucky sets no fixed fee cap, but fees must be disclosed in advance. On BlueNotary, one notarization with one stamp is $25, and each additional signer adds $5.
This guide explains the legal rules, what you will pay, how a session works, and what to check before notarizing real estate or other high-stakes documents.
Is online notarization legal in Kentucky?
Yes. Senate Bill 114, signed in March 2019, took effect January 1, 2020 and added online notarization to Kentucky’s notary statutes (KRS 423.300 to 423.455). An online notary must hold a regular commission, register with the Secretary of State, and be in Kentucky during the act. The signer does not have to be.
Where must the notary and signer be?
Location rules depend on who is where:
• The notary: A Kentucky online notary must be physically in Kentucky while performing the notarization, even if the signer is elsewhere.
• The signer in the United States: The signer may be in Kentucky or in any other state.
• The signer outside the United States: The notary must be satisfied that the record is tied to a U.S. court, agency, property or transaction, and that signing is not prohibited where the signer sits (same statute, KRS 423.355(2)).
• Governing law: For a Kentucky-commissioned online notary, Kentucky law determines validity regardless of the signer’s location.
• The receiving party: A court, lender, agency or county clerk decides whether to accept the document. Ask first for anything high-stakes.
A notary commissioned in another state who is physically in that state works under that state’s rules instead. Check which commission your notary is acting under, and confirm acceptance with the recipient.
How do RON, IPEN and other Kentucky options compare?
These terms overlap, so they are not strict alternatives:
| Method | Notary and signer | Document form | Kentucky source |
| Traditional in-person notarization | Same room | Paper | KRS Chapter 423 |
| In-person electronic notarization (IPEN) | Same room | Electronic | 30 KAR 8:005, Sections 3 and 4 |
| Remote online notarization (RON) | Live audio and video | Electronic | KRS 423.355 |
| Remote notarization of a paper record (sometimes called remote ink notarization) | Live audio and video | Paper | KRS 423.455 |
RON is one form of electronic notarization. Remote notarization of a paper record is a different process and should not be treated as the same thing.
How does online notarization work in Kentucky?
A typical RON session follows these steps:
1. Prepare the document. Keep it unsigned. You sign in front of the notary.
2. Connect with a notary by live video from a phone or computer.
3. Verify your identity. Unless the notary personally knows you, Kentucky requires at least two identity-proofing processes: credential analysis of a government photo ID plus a dynamic knowledge-based authentication (KBA) quiz. The quiz has at least five questions, requires 80 percent correct, and must be finished within two minutes. A failed first attempt allows one retry within 24 hours.
4. Confirm the document and sign electronically. The notary confirms the record you discussed is the one you sign, then applies a digital-certificate-backed signature and seal.
5. Recording and journal. The session is recorded and entered in the notary’s electronic journal. Kentucky requires retention for at least ten years.
6. Download the notarized document.
If you leave the verification workflow partway, the identity process must restart from the beginning.
What should you prepare before a session?
• A current, non-expired government-issued photo ID that includes your signature
• A device with a working camera, microphone and stable internet
• The final, unsigned document, plus any extra signers or required witnesses
• A quiet, private space
• Confirmation from the receiving party that electronic notarization is acceptable
BlueNotary connects signers with commissioned notaries by live video around the clock, and its site lists biometric authentication among its identity checks. Confirm that any platform’s identity tools meet the Kentucky standards above.
How much does an online notary in Kentucky cost?
Kentucky does not cap notary fees. Since a 2016 law (Senate Bill 214), notaries set their own prices, and KRS 423.430 requires clear disclosure before the service. On BlueNotary, one stamp costs $25, each additional stamp $8, each additional signer in an on-demand session $5, and a BlueNotary witness $10. Bringing your own witness is free.
Because extra signers and stamps change the total, here are sample totals using BlueNotary’s pricing:
| Scenario | Calculation | Total |
| One signer, one stamp | $25 | $25 |
| Two signers, one stamp | $25 + $5 | $30 |
| One signer, two stamps | $25 + $8 | $33 |
| Two signers, one stamp, BlueNotary witness | $25 + $5 + $10 | $40 |
| Three signers, two stamps, BlueNotary witness | $25 + $10 + $8 + $10 | $53 |
Businesses using BlueNotary’s On-Demand Network pay the same per-session rates. Sessions with a business’s own in-house notaries are priced differently.
Compare the full cost, not the headline fee. A mobile notary may add travel charges, and some banks notarize for account holders, so ask what applies to you.
Can you use online notarization for a Kentucky real estate closing?
Kentucky’s 2019 law also opened the door to electronic recording and e-signatures on real estate documents. According to a law firm analysis at the time, e-recording is permissive and counties adopt it at their own pace, so confirm that your county clerk accepts electronic filings.
What is the difference between an eClosing and an eMortgage?
Fannie Mae explains that an eClosing is the act of closing a mortgage loan electronically, and is often a hybrid in which the note and security instrument are wet-signed. It becomes an eMortgage only if the promissory note is signed electronically.
Who decides how a Kentucky closing is done?
Real estate closing software only works if everyone downstream accepts the result. Title and escrow services, the lender, the title underwriter and the recording office each set requirements. Kentucky practice also has its own conventions about who prepares documents and conducts closings, so your title agent or closing attorney will set the workflow.
Before scheduling, ask:
1. Does the lender allow remote online notarization for this loan?
2. Does the title underwriter approve the platform?
3. Will the county clerk accept the electronic or printed documents?
4. Is the note paper or electronic?
BlueNotary offers business and real estate solutions for title companies, lenders and law firms.
When does another option fit better?
Choose in-person notarization if the recipient rejects electronic notarization, if a lender sends its own closer, or if the document needs a wet-ink original under special rules. Wills, for example, have separate execution rules, and a 2019 law firm review noted they were left out of Kentucky’s e-signature expansion. Ask an attorney first.
Why do online notarizations get rejected?
• Signing before the session. The notary must witness your signature.
• Unsupported or expired ID. Kentucky defines a credential as a non-expired government-issued record with your photo (KRS 423.300).
• Failed KBA. After a second failure, you cannot retry with the same notary for 24 hours.
• Wrong method for the document. Some recipients require paper originals or a specific certificate.
• Recipient not consulted. Acceptance is the receiving party’s decision.
BlueNotary’s form templates cover common documents such as powers of attorney and affidavits, but confirm the recipient’s requirements for each.
Start your online notarization with BlueNotary and connect with a notary by live video.
FAQs
1. Do I have to be in Kentucky to use an online notary in Kentucky?
No. The Kentucky-commissioned notary must be physically in Kentucky, but the signer may be anywhere in the United States. Signers outside the country can qualify if the document relates to U.S. matters and signing there is lawful.
2. Is an online notarization as valid as an in-person one?
Kentucky law authorizes online notarization by registered online notaries and applies Kentucky law to its validity. Acceptance still depends on the receiving organization, so confirm with courts, lenders and agencies before you sign.
3. What ID do I need for an online notary in Kentucky?
Bring a current government-issued photo ID that includes your signature. Unless the notary knows you personally, you will also pass a knowledge-based authentication quiz as part of Kentucky’s two-step identity proofing.
4. Is the session recorded?
Yes. Kentucky requires a complete audio-video recording, retained for at least ten years. The recording does not capture images of the document you sign.
5. Can I complete a home closing with an online notary?
Often, but not always. The lender, title underwriter and recording office must each accept the process. Ask your title and escrow services provider, and see whether eClosing, hybrid or eMortgage applies.
6. Do I need a witness, and what does one cost?
Only if your document or the receiving party requires one. On BlueNotary, bringing your own witness is free, and a BlueNotary witness costs $10.
