Is Remote Online Notarization Legal? A Guide for Pennsylvania Signers

What is remote online notarization?

Remote online notarization (RON) is the process of notarizing a document over a live audio-visual connection using an approved RON platform. Instead of meeting the notary in person, the signer verifies their identity online, appears on webcam, and electronically signs a digital document that the notary then seals with an electronic notarial certificate and tamper-evident digital signature.

The Pennsylvania Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA)

Pennsylvania's notary laws are governed by the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), codified at 57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331. In October 2020, Act 97 of 2020 amended RULONA to permanently authorize remote online notarization in the Commonwealth, following the temporary emergency authorization issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under RULONA, a Pennsylvania notary performing a remote online notarial act must:

• Be a commissioned Pennsylvania notary in good standing.
• Register with the Pennsylvania Department of State as authorized to perform remote notarizations.
• Use an approved RON technology provider that supports credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), tamper-evident digital signatures, and audio- video recording.
• Keep an audio-visual recording of every remote notarial act for at least ten years.
• Physically be located in Pennsylvania at the time the notarial act is performed.

Where can the signer be located?

This is the question that trips up most people. RULONA regulates where the notary must be — inside Pennsylvania — not where the signer must be. That means a PA-commissioned remote notary can notarize documents for a signer sitting in:

• Any other U.S. state or territory.
• Any country outside the United States, provided the notarization is not prohibited by the laws of the signer's jurisdiction and the requesting party (bank, court, embassy, corporate counsel) accepts a U.S. remote notarization.

For international signers, we recommend confirming with the receiving party in advance that a U.S. remote online notarization will be accepted, and whether the notarized document will subsequently need an apostille or authentication for use abroad.

How the RON session works

1. Upload your document. You send the unsigned document to the notary through the RON platform.
2. Verify your identity. The platform runs credential analysis on your government-issued photo ID and asks you dynamic knowledge-based authentication questions drawn from public records.
3. Meet the notary on live video. The notary confirms your identity, witnesses you sign electronically, and applies their electronic seal.
4. Receive the completed document. You download a digitally signed, tamper-evident PDF that is legally equivalent to a wet-ink, in-person notarization.

Will other states and countries accept a PA remote notarization?

The Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution generally requires other states to recognize the notarial acts of a Pennsylvania notary, including remote acts performed under RULONA. Every U.S. state that has adopted RON legislation, and the vast majority of states without their own RON statute, accept documents notarized remotely by a commissioned notary from another RON-authorized state such as Pennsylvania.

For use outside the United States, a Pennsylvania notarization is typically sent for an apostille (for countries party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention) or an authentication and consular legalization (for non-Hague countries). Quill Notary handles both.

When RON may not be appropriate

A handful of document types are excluded or restricted from remote online notarization under Pennsylvania law or by the receiving party's preference, including certain wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts. If you're unsure whether your document is eligible, contact us before booking.

Ready to get started?

Quill Notary is a Pennsylvania-commissioned notary authorized to perform remote online notarizations for signers across the U.S. and worldwide. Start an order or read our full RON and apostille FAQ.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Quill Notary is not a law firm and does not practice law. For jurisdiction-specific legal questions, consult a licensed attorney.