8.3 RON Procedures, Recording, and State Compliance

Performing a Remote Online Notarization is far more than a video call plus a digital stamp. RON has strict procedural, technology, recording, and compliance requirements, and missing any of them can void the act and expose the notary to liability. Exam questions in this area test the sequence of steps and the recording and retention rules.

Step-by-Step RON Procedure

Before the session

1. Confirm authority — your state authorizes RON and you hold the required RON registration/endorsement.
2. Use an approved platform — many states publish a list of registered RON technology providers; an unapproved platform invalidates the act.
3. Confirm document eligibility — verify the document type is RON-eligible in your state (see the table below).
4. Load and prepare the electronic document on the platform.

During the session

1. Start the live audio-visual connection and confirm both parties can clearly see and hear each other.
2. Verify identity — credential analysis, KBA (pass 4/5), and biometric/facial comparison if required.
3. Assess the signer for willingness, awareness, and absence of coercion or impairment — the same competency screen as any notarization.
4. Perform the notarial act: for an acknowledgment, the signer acknowledges signing voluntarily; for a jurat, administer the oath or affirmation and have the signer execute the document on camera.
5. Complete the electronic notarial certificate with all required wording.
6. Apply the electronic seal and signature, generating the tamper-evident digital certificate.

After the session

1. Confirm the recording saved correctly.
2. Complete the electronic journal entry (date, time, act, signer, ID method, fee).
3. Verify tamper-evidence is applied to the finished document.
4. Deliver the notarized electronic document to the appropriate parties.

Session Recording Requirements

The audio-visual recording is the defining safeguard of RON. Every session must be recorded to these standards:

A recording captured in video only, or audio only, does not satisfy RON. Retention can outlast the notary's commission, so many states designate a repository to hold recordings after a notary resigns or their commission expires.

Extra Requirements for RON Notaries

A standard commission does not authorize RON. Most states layer on additional prerequisites:

Document Eligibility

Not every document can be notarized remotely. Common patterns:

When a document type is excluded, the act must be done by traditional in-person notarization instead.

Location Rules

• The notary must be physically within their commissioning state at the moment of the act — always. A notary cannot perform a RON while traveling out of state.
• The signer's location varies by state: some allow the signer to be anywhere in the world, others restrict RON to signers inside the United States, and some require a nexus (such as property located in the notary's state).

Scenario: A Florida-commissioned notary is on vacation in Georgia and a client asks for a quick RON. The notary must decline — being outside the commissioning state at the time of the act makes the RON invalid, even though everything else (platform, KBA, recording) is in order.

Fees and the Journal

States set maximum RON fees that are usually higher than paper-notarization caps because of the technology cost — for example, several states allow up to $25 per RON act (versus a few dollars for a traditional acknowledgment). Always charge no more than your state's posted RON maximum. The electronic journal must capture the same core data as a paper journal — date and time, type of act, the signer's name, the identity-proofing method used, the document type, and the fee charged — plus a reference linking the entry to the stored audio-visual recording.

Because the journal and recording together reconstruct the event, both must survive even if the notary's commission ends.

When to STOP a RON

A RON must be refused or halted in any of these situations, regardless of how far the session has progressed:

• The signer fails KBA (e.g., 3 of 5) after the allowed attempts.
• Credential analysis fails or the ID appears altered.
• The video or audio drops so the notary cannot continuously see and hear the signer.
• The signer shows confusion, impairment, or coercion, or someone off-camera is directing them.
• The document type is not RON-eligible in the state, or the platform is not approved.
• The notary is outside the commissioning state.

Proceeding despite any of these can void the notarization and create personal liability — a recurring exam theme that the recording does not cure a defective act.

On the Exam

• Audio AND video recording of the entire session is mandatory; retention is commonly 5-10 years.
• The notary must be in their commissioning state; signer-location rules vary.
• Wills/codicils are commonly restricted from RON; loan and deed documents usually are eligible.
• RON requires a separate registration/endorsement and training beyond the standard commission.
• Only a state-approved platform with tamper-evident technology may be used.