Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about remote online notarization, loan signings and eClosings, identification, witnesses, scheduling, multiple signers, and the online signing process.
Online Notary Questions
General questions about using Florida Online Notary for personal, business, and other eligible documents.
How is general online notarization priced?
The first notarial act is $25. Each additional seal or notarization in the same transaction is $5. There is no separate per-signer fee.
Loan signings and eClosings use a separate $99 flat rate; additional notarial seals within that package are included. Optional witness services are additional. View all pricing.
Do I need to be physically located in Florida?
No. The online notary must be physically in Florida, but the signer may be elsewhere when the applicable requirements are met. Remote witnesses have separate U.S. residence and location requirements; see the witnessing questions below.
If the principal is outside Florida, additional Florida RON requirements may apply.
Can multiple signers be in different locations?
Yes. When the document and applicable requirements permit, multiple signers can participate remotely from separate locations.
They do not have to gather around the same computer or be physically present in the same room, city, or state.
Do multiple signers have to sign at the same time?
Not necessarily. When the document and transaction permit, different signers may complete their required signing and notarization at separate scheduled times.
Each signer must complete the required live appearance and identity-verification process when that signer's notarized signature is taken.
Is there an extra charge just because multiple signers sign at different times?
No additional charge applies merely because multiple signers need separate scheduled appearances.
Regular online-notary pricing is based on the required notarial acts or seals: $25 for the first notarial act and $5 for each additional seal in the same transaction.
Can I have multiple documents notarized during one appointment?
Yes. Multiple documents and multiple notarial acts may be handled during the same transaction when appropriate.
The first notarial act is $25 and each additional seal is $5.
Can I use a phone or tablet for my appointment?
In many cases, yes. Your device must be compatible with the remote online notarization system and have a functioning camera, microphone, and reliable internet connection.
The device must also support the required identity-verification process.
When do I receive my completed document?
If only one signer is required, the completed signed and notarized document is available electronically after the transaction is completed.
If multiple signers participate at different times, the document remains in process until all required signers have completed their portions.
Once everyone required has finished, the signers receive the fully completed document—not merely the portion completed during their individual appearance.
Is the online notarization audio and video recorded?
Yes. Florida requires the online notarization session to be audio-video recorded.
Florida law requires the electronic journal and audio-video recording to be maintained for at least 10 years after the notarial act.
Remote Closing Questions
Questions for title, escrow, lending, real-estate professionals, and their signers.
What does a remote loan signing or eClosing cost?
A regularly scheduled remote loan signing or eClosing is a $99 flat fee.
If Florida Online Notary provides a required witness, the fee is $10 per witness. There is no additional Florida Online Notary witness fee when the client supplies the required witness.
Can borrowers or co-signers be in different locations?
Yes, when permitted for the transaction. Multiple signers can participate remotely from different locations without coordinating one physical meeting place.
Can different signers complete the closing at different times?
Yes, when the transaction permits separate signer appearances. This can be useful when co-signers are in different time zones or cannot be available simultaneously.
The package remains in process until all required signers have completed their required portions.
Who receives the completed loan or closing package?
Once all required signers have completed the transaction, the fully executed and notarized electronic package is returned to the party that scheduled the signing.
The signers also receive the completed electronic package rather than only the documents or pages completed during their individual appearance.
Will the completed closing package need to be shipped back?
The standard remote loan signing/eClosing service is completed electronically. Once all required signers and notarizations are finished, the completed electronic package can be returned electronically without waiting for a physical package to be shipped back.
If a transaction specifically requires wet-ink originals or physical document return, that would require separate handling outside the standard remote eClosing process.
Can the client provide the required witnesses?
Yes. There is no additional Florida Online Notary witness fee when the client supplies the required witness or witnesses.
When available, witness assistance may also be arranged through Florida Online Notary for $10 per witness.
Any required witness must still satisfy the applicable Florida witnessing requirements.
Why use the same remote notary for recurring closings?
An ongoing relationship gives your company and signers a familiar point of contact and allows the notary to become familiar with your preferred procedures, communication expectations, and signing instructions.
It can create a more consistent and predictable experience from one eligible remote closing to the next.
How do I schedule a loan signing or eClosing?
Use the online scheduling system to choose an available appointment time, provide the requested transaction and signer information, select any required witness services, and complete payment.
Florida Online Notary will then prepare the remote signing session.
ID & International Signer Questions
Questions about qualifying identification and online identity verification.
What identification should I plan to use?
For the smoothest online verification process, plan to use a qualifying, unexpired government-issued photo identification credential supported by the RON verification system.
Common examples include qualifying U.S. driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, U.S. passports, and, in appropriate circumstances, foreign passports.
Can an international signer use a foreign passport?
Florida Statute §117.201(6) expressly provides for use of a passport issued by a foreign government as the government-issued identification credential when the principal is outside the United States.
The passport must still successfully complete the required credential analysis and identity proofing.
Can I use a foreign national ID card or foreign driver's license?
Do not assume that an identification credential qualifies merely because the remote verification technology can technically scan or analyze it.
Florida law and platform support are separate requirements. The identification must qualify under Florida law and also work with the remote verification system.
If you are outside the United States and have a foreign passport, plan to use the passport unless another credential clearly qualifies under Florida law.
Can my identification be written in a language other than English?
A qualifying credential does not automatically fail merely because it contains another language or writing system.
The credential must still qualify under Florida law, successfully pass credential analysis, and provide sufficient information for the online notary to satisfactorily identify the signer.
Can I use an expired ID?
For an online appointment, plan to use a qualifying, unexpired identification credential.
Although Florida's general statutory identification provisions recognize certain credentials based on when they were issued, the remote credential-analysis technology may impose stricter requirements.
Can I use my military ID or Common Access Card?
Do not photograph, scan, or upload a Department of Defense identification credential unless reproduction is legally authorized.
Some military credentials are included in Florida's statutory identification list, but remote online notarization ordinarily requires transmission and electronic analysis of the credential. Federal reproduction restrictions may therefore prevent use of that credential in the RON process.
Use another qualifying credential when possible.
What happens if my identity verification fails?
The required identity-verification process must be successfully completed before the online notarization can proceed.
If the credential does not qualify, cannot be successfully analyzed, or the required identity proofing cannot be completed, another qualifying and supported identification method may be necessary.
How It Works
Questions about booking, documents, witnesses, preparation, and the live online session.
What happens after I book an online notary appointment?
After the appointment is received, Florida Online Notary contacts you with instructions for providing the documents that need notarization.
The documents are then prepared in the secure remote online notarization system before your appointment whenever possible.
Do I upload my own documents into the notary platform?
No. After booking, you will receive instructions for providing the documents to Florida Online Notary.
Florida Online Notary handles preparing the documents and remote signing session for you.
Should I sign my document before the online appointment?
If your signature is the signature being notarized, do not sign it in advance unless you have been specifically instructed that doing so is appropriate for the required notarial act.
The online notary must complete the applicable notarial procedure during the live session.
How does remote witnessing work?
Florida law allows a required witness to be physically present with the signer or, when permitted for the document and transaction, to participate remotely through the same live audio-video technology used for the online notarization.
If the witness is remote from the signer: both the signer's and the witness's identities must be verified using the applicable Florida remote online notarization identification procedures.
The remote witness must also verbally confirm that the witness is both a resident of, and physically located within, the United States or a territory of the United States at the time of witnessing.
The witness must be present through the live audio-video connection when the signer electronically signs the record and must hear the signer make a statement acknowledging that the signer signed the electronic record.
If the witness is physically present with the signer: the witness states the witness's name and current address on the audio-video recording as part of the witnessing process.
Florida also imposes additional safeguards for certain documents, including some wills, trusts with testamentary aspects, health-care advance directives, certain agreements involving succession or spousal rights, and certain powers of attorney.
Can a remote witness be located outside the United States?
No. A witness who is remote from the signer must verbally confirm that the witness is a resident of and physically located within the United States or a U.S. territory at the time of witnessing.
This restriction applies to a person serving as a remote witness, even though the principal who is having a document notarized may be located outside the United States.
Does a remote witness have to complete identity verification?
Yes. If the witness is remote from the signer, Florida law requires the witness's identity to be verified using the applicable RON identification procedures.
Unless the applicable personal-knowledge exception is satisfied, those procedures include remote presentation of a qualifying government-issued identification credential, credential analysis, and identity proofing.
How long does an online notarization take?
The amount of time depends on the number of signers, documents, notarial acts, identity-verification requirements, witnesses, and the complexity of the transaction.
Preparing the documents before the appointment helps keep the live portion of the session efficient.
Where can I see the full step-by-step process?
The How It Works page explains the complete process for both regular online notarizations and remote loan signings/eClosings.
After-Hours & Special Situations
Questions about unusual scheduling needs and transactions that may require extra coordination.
Are after-hours or overnight appointments available?
They may be available when scheduling permits.
Additional fees may apply to appointments outside regular scheduling hours. Contact Florida Online Notary for availability and a quote.
What if I need an appointment that is not shown on the regular schedule?
Contact Florida Online Notary with the requested date and time. Additional availability may sometimes be possible outside the regular online schedule.
After-hours or overnight appointments may involve an additional fee.
What if I am unsure whether my document can be notarized online?
Contact Florida Online Notary before scheduling and provide a brief description of the document and what you have been told needs to be notarized.
A notary cannot provide legal advice or choose a notarial act for a signer when the document does not specify what is required, but we can help determine whether the requested notarization can be handled through the remote process.
What if I have an unusual identification or international situation?
Contact Florida Online Notary before scheduling if you have an unusual foreign-issued credential, restricted federal ID, significant name discrepancy, or another identity-verification concern.
Still Don't See Your Question?
Contact Florida Online Notary before scheduling if you have an unusual document, identification issue, witness requirement, scheduling need, or other situation not addressed above.
Ready to Get Your Documents Notarized?
If your questions are answered and you're ready to proceed, choose an available appointment and we'll take care of the next steps.