Travel Notary Frequently Asked Questions

  • A travel notary (also called a mobile notary) is a commissioned notary public who travels to the client’s location to complete notarizations. This service eliminates the need for clients to visit an office, adjust schedules, or coordinate transportation.

  • Common documents include:

    • Powers of Attorney

    • Wills, trusts, and estate planning documents

    • Real estate deeds, affidavits, and closing packages

    • Auto dealership POAs and title transfer forms

    • Employment and HR documents

    • Financial and insurance forms

    • General affidavits and sworn statements

  • Travel notarization is ideal for:

    • Law firms and estate planning professionals

    • Auto dealerships and title clerks

    • Real estate agents, investors, and closing coordinators

    • Hospitals, assisted‑living facilities, and homebound clients

    • Busy professionals with limited availability

    • Businesses needing on‑site notarizations for employees or customers

  • A valid, government‑issued photo ID is required. Acceptable forms typically include:

    • State driver’s license

    • State ID card

    • U.S. passport

    • U.S. military ID

    • Foreign passport (depending on state rules)

  • The notary arrives at the agreed location, verifies identification, confirms the signer’s willingness and awareness, witnesses the signature, and completes the notarial certificate. Documents are reviewed for completeness before the notarization is finalized.

  • A travel notary meets clients in person and notarizes physical documents. A RON notary performs notarizations online using secure audio‑video technology. Both methods are legally valid; the choice depends on client preference, document type, and institutional requirements.

Remote Online Notarization Frequently Asked Questions

  • Remote Online Notarization allows a notary to notarize your document through a secure audio‑video session. You sign electronically, the notary signs electronically, and the notarization is completed digitally with a tamper‑evident seal.

  • Yes. All 50 states accept properly completed RON‑notarized documents in at least some capacity, and Texas‑commissioned online notaries may notarize documents for signers located anywhere in the U.S. or internationally, as long as the notary is physically in Texas during the notarization. For documents originating OUTSIDE of the U.S. or documents which will be in use outside of the U.S., the organization requiring the document decides whether U.S.-based notarization meets their need.

  • Yes. You can sign from anywhere in the world as long as you can verify your identity and complete the audio‑video session. Many U.S. citizens abroad choose to use RON for real estate, estate planning, and financial documents. For documents originating OUTSIDE of the U.S. or documents which will be in use outside of the U.S., the organization requiring the document decides whether U.S.-based notarization meets their need.

  • RON is valid for most documents that require notarization, including:

    • Real estate documents (deeds, closing packages, loan documents)

    • Estate planning documents (wills if state law allows, trusts, directives, POAs)

    • Powers of attorney

    • Affidavits and sworn statements

    • Financial agreements

    • Business documents

    • Parental consent forms

    • General acknowledgments and jurats

    • Some wills (depending on state law; Texas allows RON for certain wills, but other states do not)

    • Codicils in states that require in‑person witnesses

    • I‑9 forms (notarization is not permitted at all)

    • Vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates — these are issued, not notarized)

    • Court‑filed documents that require in‑person verification

    • Documents where the receiving agency explicitly prohibits electronic notarization

    When in doubt, the receiving party’s rules control.

    • Yes. A properly completed RON notarization carries the same legal weight as an in‑person notarization. It includes:

      • Identity verification

      • Audio‑video recording

      • Digital certificate

      • Tamper‑evident seal

      • Electronic notary journal entry