7.1 Arizona Remote Online Notarization (RON) Overview

Arizona Remote Online Notarization (RON) Overview

Remote Online Notarization (RON) is a notarial act performed for a remotely located individual — a signer who is NOT in the notary's physical presence — by means of communication technology that lets the notary and signer see and hear each other simultaneously in real time (A.R.S. § 41-371).

RON is the single most modern topic on the Arizona exam. Because the 2025 Reference Manual reprints the entire RON statute (Article 4, A.R.S. §§ 41-371 through 41-377), expect several questions that test whether you can distinguish RON from the two notarizations it resembles: traditional paper notarization and in-person electronic notarization.

Why RON Exists and How It Became Permanent

During the 2020 COVID-19 emergency, Governor Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-26, which allowed a temporary form of remote notarization. That emergency authority was a stopgap. The permanent program came from Senate Bill 1115, signed March 18, 2021, which enacted Arizona's version of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA). The permanent RON framework took effect June 30, 2022. On the exam, do not confuse the temporary 2020 emergency RON with the permanent statutory RON — the durable authority is SB 1115 / RULONA, effective mid-2022.

What You Need Before You Can Perform RON

RON is not automatic. Three things must be true:

1. You hold an active traditional Arizona notary commission (the four-year, $5,000-bond commission).
2. You have separately registered with and received written authorization from the Secretary of State to perform RON, identifying the specific communication-technology platform you will use.
3. You use an approved, RULONA-compliant platform that provides credential analysis, identity proofing, the tamper-evident electronic journal, and the audio-visual recording.

Arizona currently charges no additional fee and no additional bond for the RON (or eNotary) endorsement — but you cannot apply for RON unless you are already a commissioned notary. A common exam trap is the claim that "any Arizona notary can immediately notarize remotely." That is false: RON requires the extra Secretary of State authorization first.

RON vs. eNotary vs. Traditional — Three Different Things

Arizona recognizes three distinct notarization modes. Confusing them is the most-missed RON concept:

The key insight: eNotary still requires physical presence. The signer sits in the same room with the notary and identity is checked by inspecting a physical ID — only the document, signature, and seal are electronic. RON is the only mode where the signer never appears in person. A separate, well-known concept called remote ink-signed notarization (RIN) — where the signer signs paper on camera and mails it — is NOT the same as RON and is not the authorized Arizona electronic remote process; do not select RIN when the question describes Arizona's statutory RON.

The Required RON Technology Stack

Every compliant RON act involves five technical components, all defined in statute:

• Communication technology — two-way, simultaneous, real-time audio AND video (a phone call or pre-recorded video fails this test).
• Tamper-evident electronic signature — unique to the notary, under the notary's sole control, and linked so that altering the document invalidates the signature (A.R.S. § 41-351).
• Tamper-evident electronic seal — an electronic image containing the words "Notary Public," the commission county, the notary's name, the commission number, and the expiration date (A.R.S. § 41-371(5)).
• Permanent, tamper-evident electronic journal — RON acts must be logged electronically; a RON act may NOT be recorded in the paper journal used for traditional acts (A.R.S. § 41-374(A)).
• Audio-visual recording — the notary (or the platform on the notary's behalf) records the entire session and keeps a protected backup.

Where the Signer May Be Located

The notary must always be physically in Arizona, but A.R.S. § 41-373 lets the signer be (1) in Arizona, (2) outside Arizona but inside the United States, or (3) outside the United States, but only if the record relates to a U.S. court/government matter or U.S. property AND the notary has no actual knowledge the act is prohibited where the signer sits. Expect at least one question on "who can be remote" — the answer is "the signer," never the notary.

Example: Maria, a RON-authorized Phoenix notary, is at her Phoenix desk. A signer in Denver needs a power of attorney notarized for an Arizona property sale. Maria launches an approved RON platform, they connect by live video, the platform performs credential analysis and KBA, Maria watches the signer e-sign, she applies her electronic seal and signature in tamper-evident format, the platform logs the electronic-journal entry, and the whole session is recorded and retained five years. This is a valid RON — the signer was remote, the notary stayed in Arizona, and every required component was present.