Step-by-Step Guide to Online Notarization

Reading about Remote Online Notarization in the abstract only gets you so far — at some point you want to know exactly what happens, in order, so there are no surprises when you actually sit down for one. Here’s the full walkthrough.

Step 1: Book Your Session

You select a time that works and provide basic information about what you need notarized. This is also when you’ll typically upload your document, if it isn’t already prepared.

Step 2: Prepare Your Document (If Not Already Done)

Your document needs to be ready but unsigned — Florida law requires signing in the notary’s presence, and that requirement applies to RON sessions too, just with “presence” meaning the live video call. If your document requires witnesses (a power of attorney, for example), make sure they’re available to join the same session.

Step 3: Complete Identity Verification

Before the actual notarization begins, you’ll go through an identity verification process:

• ID document scan — you photograph or scan a valid, government-issued photo ID through the platform
• Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) — a series of multiple-choice questions generated from public and credit-header records, structured so that only you would reasonably know the answers

This step typically takes a few minutes and only needs to be completed once per platform in many cases, though policies vary.

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Step 4: Join the Live Video Session

At your scheduled time, you join a live video call with your notary. This is the part that feels most like a regular video chat — you’ll see and hear each other in real time.

Step 5: The Notary Reviews the Document With You

Before signing, the notary confirms the document with you — making sure you understand what you’re signing and that you’re doing so willingly. This is a standard part of any notarization, remote or in-person; it’s not a formality to rush through.

Step 6: You Sign Electronically

Using the platform’s secure e-signature tool, you sign the document while the notary witnesses electronically, in real time, over the video call.

Step 7: The Notary Applies the Electronic Seal

Once signed, the notary completes the electronic notarial certificate and applies their digital seal — the equivalent of the ink stamp used in traditional notarization, but cryptographically secured and tamper-evident.

Step 8: You Receive Your Notarized Document

The finished, notarized document is made available to you, typically within minutes of completing the session. The session recording itself is retained by the platform per Florida’s legal requirements, separate from the document you receive.

A Quick Summary Table

Step	What Happens	Typical Time
Booking	Schedule and upload document	A few minutes
ID verification	Scan ID, answer verification questions	3-5 minutes
Video session	Meet notary, review document	5-10 minutes
Signing	Electronic signature, witnessed live	2-3 minutes
Completion	Seal applied, document delivered	Immediate

The Platform Behind the Process

Easy Day Notary runs Remote Online Notary sessions through BlueNotary, which handles every step above through one connected platform rather than juggling separate tools for identity verification, video, and signing.

Ready to Get Started?

Now that you know exactly what to expect, booking a session should feel a lot less like a mystery. Schedule your notarization or contact us with any questions before you begin.

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