Remote Online Notarization
You and a commissioned notary meet over live audio and video. You sign electronically, the notary applies an electronic seal, and the session is recorded. No travel, no printing, and available from every state.
Does your document need to be notarized?
Notarization rules are set state by state and change more often than you'd expect. Upload your document, pick the state it's for, and get the current rule with the official source behind it. Free, and no account needed.
Does your document need notarization?
Upload it, pick your state, and we'll check the current rules against official state sources.
Your document
Your file and data are not stored.
This is general information about notarization requirements, not legal advice.
What online notarization is
A notary's job is narrower than most people assume. They verify your identity, confirm you signed willingly, and record that the signing happened.
Remote online notarization moves that to a live video session. The notary confirms your ID on camera, watches you sign electronically, applies a digital seal, and records the session. It carries the same legal weight as signing across a desk, and it's accepted across state lines.
Three ways DocDraft gets your document notarized
Which one applies depends on your state and the document. The check above tells you which you need.
In-Person Electronic Notarization
A notary is physically with you, but the document is signed and sealed electronically rather than on paper. Used where a state wants the notary present but still allows electronic signing.
Mobile Notary, On Paper
A notary travels to you and you sign a printed copy in wet ink. Still required where a document has to exist as a physical original, like some deeds and most documents headed overseas.
Documents that usually involve a notary
These come up most often. The rule is rarely a flat yes or no, and usually turns on your state and what you plan to do with the document.
- Last Will and Testament
Most states don't require the will itself to be notarized, since witnesses cover that. What gets notarized is the self-proving affidavit attached to it, which lets the will clear probate without calling those witnesses to testify.
- Durable Power of Attorney
Almost always notarized, and required in many states. Banks, title companies and brokerages routinely refuse one without an acknowledgment, so an un-notarized POA tends to fail exactly when someone needs to use it.
- Healthcare Power of Attorney
Requirements split sharply by state. Some accept two adult witnesses, some want a notary instead, a few ask for both. Hospitals tend to accept a notarized copy without argument, which is reason enough to do it.
- Living Will
Usually executed alongside the healthcare directive, under the same witness or notary rules. Since the two get read together in an emergency, it's worth executing both the same way on the same day.
- Quitclaim Deed
Notarization is effectively mandatory. County recorders reject deeds without a notary acknowledgment, and an unrecorded deed leaves the transfer invisible to anyone searching title later, including future buyers and lenders.
- Promissory Note
Rarely required by law, and commonly notarized anyway. A notarized note is much easier to enforce if the borrower later disputes signing it, which matters most for loans between family or friends.
- Bill of Sale
Depends entirely on the asset. Several states require notarization for vehicle title transfers, while an ordinary sale of goods needs nothing. Check your state's DMV rules before assuming a signature alone will do.
Why the state matters more than you'd think
Notarization is governed at state level, so two people signing identical documents in different states can face different requirements. Some accept witnesses where others want a notary. Some allow remote sessions for a document a neighboring state insists be signed on paper.
The state that counts is where the document will be used or filed, not where you're sitting when you sign it. Get that wrong and a county recorder or bank can reject an otherwise valid document.
Frequently asked
Notarization questions
Is online notarization legal?
Yes, and it's available from every state. As long as your notary is commissioned somewhere that permits remote notarization, the result is recognized nationwide. California is the one exception on the notary side: its own notaries aren't authorized yet, so Californians work with a notary commissioned elsewhere.
How do I know if my document needs notarizing?
Upload it and pick the state it's for. You'll get the document type we identified, whether it should be notarized there, and the official source behind the answer. We separate what the law requires from what's simply common practice.
Can everything be notarized online?
No. Several states exclude estate planning documents: Wisconsin bars wills, trusts and powers of attorney entirely, and Kentucky requires wills on paper with everyone present. Certified vital records and documents headed abroad are also typically excluded.
Does it matter which state I pick?
Yes, and it's the most common mistake. Choose the state where the document will be used or filed, not where you live. A deed for property in Ohio follows Ohio's rules even if you sign it in Nevada.
What does the notary actually check?
Your identity, and that you signed willingly and understood what you were signing. That's the extent of it. A notary doesn't review the document's contents or advise you on it.
What do I need before a session?
A government photo ID, the finished document, and a device with a camera and microphone. Identity verification runs in two parts: photographing your ID, then answering questions drawn from credit and public records, which requires a US Social Security number or ITIN.
Do you keep my document?
No. We extract the text, run the check, and discard the file. Nothing is stored, and no account is required.
Need the document itself first?
DocDraft drafts it for your state and notarizes it in the same place, with a licensed attorney on hand to review it before you sign.