8.1 RON Fundamentals and History
Key Takeaways
- Remote Online Notarization (RON) lets a notary notarize an electronic document for a remotely located individual using live, two-way audio-visual technology — physical presence is replaced by, not removed from, the appearance requirement.
- Virginia enacted the first permanent RON law in 2012; as of 2026, 45+ states and the District of Columbia authorize permanent RON.
- The COVID-19 pandemic (2020) converted RON from a niche option into mainstream practice as governors issued emergency orders and states fast-tracked permanent statutes.
- RON differs from RIN (Remote Ink-signed Notarization) and IPEN (In-Person Electronic Notarization) — know which combines video + electronic vs. video + paper vs. in-person + electronic.
- The federal SECURE Notarization Act of 2025 (H.R.1777 / S.1561) would authorize RON nationwide and mandate interstate recognition but has not yet become law.
Remote Online Notarization (RON) is the most significant change to notarial practice in generations. RON lets a notary perform a notarial act for a remotely located individual (RLI) — a signer who is not in the notary's physical presence — using live, two-way audio-visual technology on an approved electronic platform. The document is electronic, the signature is electronic, and the notary's seal and signature are electronic.
A common exam trap is to assume RON eliminates the appearance requirement. It does not. Every U.S. notary act still requires the signer to personally appear; RON simply redefines appearance to include real-time video presence. A phone call, a pre-recorded video, an emailed scan, or a faxed signature page never satisfies RON.
The Five Elements of a RON Act
- Live audio-visual session — both parties see and hear each other in real time.
- Identity proofing — credential analysis of a government ID plus Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA).
- Electronic signature by the signer on an electronic record.
- Electronic seal and signature applied by the notary, with a tamper-evident digital certificate.
- Audio-visual recording of the entire session, retained as a permanent record.
History of RON
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 2011-2012 | Virginia enacts the first permanent RON statute; webcam notarization becomes legally possible. |
| 2017-2018 | Texas, Nevada, Minnesota, and Ohio pass comprehensive RON laws; the model Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) adds RON provisions. |
| 2019 | More than 20 states have enacted or proposed RON; the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) issues standards. |
| 2020 | COVID-19 stay-at-home orders prompt nearly all states to authorize emergency remote notarization. |
| 2021-2023 | States convert temporary orders into permanent statutes; California passes SB 696. |
| 2024-2026 | 45+ states and D.C. have permanent RON; California's RON framework phases in; the SECURE Act is reintroduced in Congress. |
The COVID-19 Catalyst
The pandemic was the single largest driver of RON adoption. When in-person notarization became impractical, governors issued emergency executive orders authorizing remote notarization, often before the technology rules were fully written. Lenders, title companies, and law firms rapidly adopted remote and electronic closings, and the public grew comfortable with video-based services. States that started with temporary emergency measures overwhelmingly converted them into permanent legislation by 2023.
RON vs. RIN vs. IPEN
Many exam questions test whether you can separate three closely related modern acts. Memorize this grid:
| Act | Appearance | Document | Signature & Seal |
|---|---|---|---|
| RON (Remote Online) | Live video | Electronic | Electronic |
| RIN (Remote Ink-signed) | Live video | Paper (wet ink) | Wet ink, mailed/couriered |
| IPEN (In-Person Electronic) | Physical, in person | Electronic | Electronic |
RIN was widely used early in the pandemic when a state authorized remote video appearance but had not yet authorized fully electronic documents — the signer signs paper on camera and mails it. IPEN keeps physical presence but uses an electronic document and seal. RON is the only one that is fully remote and fully electronic.
RON vs. Traditional Notarization
When RON questions ask what changes from a paper notarization, the answer is the method, never the underlying duties. The notary still confirms identity, willingness, and awareness; still completes a correct certificate; and still keeps a journal. What changes:
| Feature | Traditional | RON |
|---|---|---|
| Presence | Physical, in person | Live two-way video |
| ID verification | Visual exam of physical ID | Credential analysis + KBA |
| Signature | Wet ink | Electronic signature |
| Seal | Rubber stamp or embosser | Electronic seal + digital certificate |
| Record | Paper journal | Electronic journal plus audio-visual recording |
| Geography | Both parties typically together | Signer can be remote, subject to state rules |
The Uniform Law Backdrop
Many states model their RON statutes on the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), drafted by the Uniform Law Commission, which added RON provisions defining the remotely located individual, the recording duty, and tamper-evident technology standards. The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) separately publishes RON technology certification used by lenders. Knowing these two acronyms — RULONA for the legal model, MISMO for the lending-industry technical standard — helps decode exam wording.
The SECURE Notarization Act
The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization (SECURE) Act is federal legislation that would:
- Authorize RON nationwide for any notary commissioned under state law.
- Require interstate recognition — courts and states must accept a RON validly performed under another state's law when it affects interstate commerce.
- Mandate tamper-evident technology, identity-proofing, and audio-visual recording standards.
- Preserve state commissioning authority rather than create a federal notary.
Status (2026): The bill was reintroduced in the 119th Congress as H.R.1777 and S.1561 (SECURE Notarization Act of 2025) in March 2025, with bipartisan support from sponsors including Senators Warner and Cramer and backing from ALTA and the Mortgage Bankers Association. It remains in committee and has not been enacted — so RON authority today still flows from individual state law, not federal law. Do not answer an exam question as if the SECURE Act is already in force.
On the Exam
- RON uses live audio-visual technology — never phone, email, or pre-recorded video.
- Virginia (2012) was first; 45+ states and D.C. have permanent RON in 2026.
- The signer must still appear — RON redefines, not removes, appearance.
- Distinguish RON / RIN / IPEN by document type and signature method.
- The SECURE Act is pending, not law; state law still governs.
Which state was the first to enact permanent Remote Online Notarization (RON) legislation?
A signer is on a live video call with the notary, but signs a paper document with wet ink and mails the original to the notary afterward. Which act is being described?
What is the current status of the federal SECURE Notarization Act as of 2026?