RON Fundamentals and History

Remote Online Notarization (RON) represents the most significant transformation of the notary profession in centuries. RON allows a notary to perform notarizations using live, two-way audio-visual technology — meaning the signer and notary do not need to be in the same physical location.

What Is RON?

In a RON session:

• The signer appears before the notary via a live video call (not a pre-recorded video)
• The notary verifies the signer's identity using technology-based methods (credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication)
• The document is signed electronically by the signer
• The notary applies an electronic seal and signature
• The entire session is recorded (audio and video) and retained as a permanent record

History of RON

The COVID-19 Catalyst

The COVID-19 pandemic was the single largest driver of RON adoption. When stay-at-home orders made in-person notarizations difficult or impossible:

• Governors issued emergency orders allowing remote notarizations
• States fast-tracked RON legislation that had been stalled
• The public became comfortable with video-based services
• Lenders and title companies adopted electronic closings
• The legal industry embraced remote document execution

Many states that adopted temporary emergency RON measures later enacted permanent RON legislation.

The SECURE Notarization Act

The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization (SECURE) Act is federal legislation that would:

1. Authorize RON nationwide — Every state would be required to recognize RON performed by notaries from other states
2. Establish minimum standards for electronic and remote notarizations
3. Require interstate recognition — A RON performed in one state must be accepted in all other states
4. Mandate tamper-evident technology and fraud prevention measures
5. Require audio-visual recording retention for a specified period

Status (2026): The SECURE Act has been reintroduced in the 119th Congress as S.1561 and H.R.1777 (SECURE Notarization Act of 2025). It has bipartisan support and has previously passed the House by voice vote.

RON vs. Traditional Notarization

RON vs. RIN (Remote Ink-Signed Notarization)

It is important to distinguish RON from RIN (Remote Ink-Signed Notarization):

RIN was commonly used during the COVID-19 pandemic when states authorized remote notarizations but had not yet authorized electronic documents and signatures.

On the Exam

RON questions are increasingly common on notary exams:

• RON uses live audio-visual technology — not phone calls, emails, or pre-recorded videos
• 45+ states have permanent RON laws as of 2026
• COVID-19 accelerated adoption but Virginia was first (2012)
• SECURE Act would establish federal RON standards
• RON requires electronic signatures and seals — not wet ink
• Sessions must be recorded and records retained