Remote Online Notarization by State

A plain-English state guide for online notarization and quitclaim deeds.

Last updated: September 14, 2026

Most states allow remote online notarization, but not all, and a deed notarized online still has to be accepted by the county recorder.

Remote online notarization, also called RON, lets you sign in front of a notary by live video instead of in the same room. Whether a recorder will take a deed notarized that way depends on the state, sometimes on the county, and on the platform the notary used. The table below gives every state's status; before you rely on it, ask the recorder that will record your deed.

What Is Remote Online Notarization?

Remote online notarization allows a signer to appear before a notary using live audio-video technology instead of meeting the notary in person.

In a typical online notarization session, the signer uploads the document, verifies identity, meets with a commissioned online notary, signs electronically, and receives a notarized document.

For quitclaim deeds, the key question is not only whether online notarization exists in the state. The practical question is whether the deed can be recorded after being notarized online.

Need an Online Notary?

Finding a notary and fitting the visit into office hours is not always easy.

If remote online notarization is accepted for your transaction, you may be able to complete the notarization step from home using your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Online Notary Service

If online notarization is permitted for your deed and recording situation, this may save time and eliminate the need to travel.

Visit NotaryLive

Disclosure: This page contains an affiliate link. If you use this link, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

State-by-State Remote Online Notarization Status

The table below gives a practical summary for ordinary users. “Operational” means the state's law allows remote online notarization. “Not operational” means the state has not authorized RON, or the law has been enacted but cannot yet be performed. A status in between means some form of remote notarization exists but not for every deed or every signer; the note says which.

State Status Practical Note Source
AlabamaRemote ink onlyNo full RON. An Alabama notary may notarize over two-way video, but you sign the paper deed in wet ink and the notary must be in Alabama. From October 1, 2026, a signer on video must be inside the United States. A deed signed in another state can be acknowledged there, in that state's own form.Act 2023-548; Act 2026-536
AlaskaOperationalRON available; platform approval not required, but listed providers may be available.Lieutenant Governor
ArizonaOperationalRON available; notaries must use compliant technology.Secretary of State
ArkansasOperationalRON available through an Arkansas eNotary, using an approved solution provider. The notary must be in Arkansas; you need not be.Secretary of State
CaliforniaEnacted, not yet operationalSB 696 of 2023 authorized it, but no platform may be used and no notary may perform one until the Secretary of State certifies on its website that the technology project is complete, or until January 1, 2030, if that comes first. That date can move: the Secretary of State may tell the Legislature and the Governor by January 1, 2029, that the project won't be finished in time.SB 696 (2023)
ColoradoOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
ConnecticutNot for deedsPublic Act 23-28 bars a remotely located individual from the conduct of a real estate closing, and its remote route still needs the signed original mailed to the notary afterwards.Secretary of the State
DelawareOperationalRON available since August 2023. The notary must be in Delaware and must use one of the state's approved technology providers.Notary Department
District of ColumbiaOperationalRON available. The notary must be located in the District of Columbia, which issues remote and electronic endorsements to its notaries. Identity is confirmed by the notary's own knowledge, a credible witness, or two kinds of identity proofing, and the recorded session is kept 10 years. Remote ink is also allowed: you sign the paper deed on camera and mail it to the notary within 3 days.D.C. Code § 1-1231.13a; Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications
FloridaOperationalRON available; providers self-certify with the state.Executive Office of the Governor
GeorgiaNot enactedRON not yet enacted into law.Superior Court Clerks' Authority
HawaiiOperationalRON available; platform approval not required.Attorney General
IdahoOperationalRON available; notaries must use compliant technology.Secretary of State
IllinoisOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
IndianaOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
IowaOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
KansasOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
KentuckyOperationalRON available; the notary notifies the Secretary of State and identifies the technology before the first one. The audio-visual recording of the signing is kept for ten years.KRS 423.455 (PDF)
LouisianaSales onlyRemote online notarization may not be used for an authentic act, or for a donation. A sale can be an act under private signature and can be done remotely; a gift of land must be an authentic act, signed in person.La. R.S. 35:623
MaineOperationalRON available, but the notary must be approved by the Secretary of State first and must use a state-approved technology provider. Zoom and FaceTime are not accepted.Secretary of State
MarylandOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
MassachusettsEnacted, not yet operationalThe 2023 law allows it, but the Secretary of the Commonwealth says the training and notification form are not yet available and that notaries should not use online remote platforms at this time.Secretary of the Commonwealth
MichiganOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
MinnesotaOperationalRON available. The notary registers the authorization with the Secretary of State and must be physically in Minnesota.Secretary of State
MississippiNot enactedMississippi's notary law does not authorize it. The 2025 bill to add it, HB1154, passed the House and died in Senate committee on March 4, 2025.Secretary of State
MissouriOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
MontanaOperationalRON available. The notary must be physically in Montana, identifies you by more than one method, and does it in a single recorded session.Secretary of State
NebraskaOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
NevadaOperationalRON available. An electronic notary may act by audio-video communication under NRS 240.1993, after registering with the Secretary of State and passing the extra electronic notary exam.Secretary of State
New HampshireOperationalRON available. The notary tells the Secretary of State which technology they use, must be in New Hampshire, and the recording is kept ten years.Secretary of State
New JerseyOperationalRON available under the 2021 notary law. The certificate says you appeared remotely using communication technology rather than in person.Division of Revenue
New MexicoOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
New YorkOperationalRON available from a notary registered with the Department of State as an electronic notary, who must be in New York. Remote INK notarization ended on January 31, 2023, so the deed is notarized electronically and then papered out for recording.Department of State
North CarolinaNot yet operationalNo remote electronic notarization platform is licensed yet. Until the first license is issued, the online route is emergency video notarization, extended to July 1, 2027, with you and the notary both in North Carolina.Secretary of State
North DakotaOperationalRON available; listed providers may be available.Secretary of State
OhioOperationalRON available, but only from a notary the Secretary of State has separately authorized for it after extra education and testing.Secretary of State
OklahomaOperationalRON available; platform approval not required.Secretary of State
OregonOperationalRON available; listed providers may be available.Secretary of State
PennsylvaniaOperationalRON available. The notary must be in Pennsylvania and must use a provider from the Department of State's approved list. Zoom, Skype and FaceTime are not accepted.Department of State
Rhode IslandOperationalRON available; approved platforms required.Secretary of State
South CarolinaNot enactedSouth Carolina has electronic notarization, but section 26-2-50 requires the signer to appear in person before the electronic notary. There is no remote provision.S.C. Code Title 26, Ch. 2
South DakotaOperationalRON available, and a paper deed can be notarized by video as well. The notary must be in South Dakota; you can be anywhere. The platform is recorded with the Secretary of State.Secretary of State
TennesseeOperationalRON available; platform approval not required.Secretary of State
TexasOperationalRON available; platform approval not required.Secretary of State
UtahOperationalRON available. The notary needs the remote authorization, a larger bond, and an approved vendor.Lieutenant Governor
VermontOperationalRON available. The notary needs a special endorsement on top of the commission, under the notary rules effective February 26, 2025.Secretary of State
VirginiaOperationalRON available from a notary separately commissioned as an electronic notary. The certificate has to say whether the act was done in person or by remote online notarization.Va. Code § 47.1-2
WashingtonOperationalRON available; notaries must use compliant technology.Department of Licensing
West VirginiaOperationalRON available; the notary notifies the Secretary of State before the first one. West Virginia also allows remote ink notarization, where you sign on paper during the video call and send the original to the notary afterwards.W. Va. Code §39-4-37
WisconsinOperationalRON available since 2020. The technology has to be one approved under the standards of the Remote Notary Council and the Department of Financial Institutions; unapproved platforms are not permitted.Department of Financial Institutions
WyomingOperationalRON available since July 1, 2021, and so is remote ink notarization on a paper deed. The notary tells the Secretary of State they intend to perform them.Wyoming RULONA (PDF)

Every row was checked against the source linked beside it on September 9, 2026 — the state's notary authority, or the statute where the authority's own page does not say. Remote notarization law changes with each legislative session, so open the source for your own state before relying on its row. The District of Columbia row was added and checked on September 12, 2026, and the California row was corrected and checked on September 13, 2026.

What “Operational” Does Not Tell You

It means the state's law allows remote online notarization. It does not mean you can easily get one.

The notary almost always has to be commissioned in that state and physically inside it while the session runs, so whether any service covers you depends on it having notaries there. Several states also require the notary to work through a platform from an approved list, and those lists are often built around lenders and title companies rather than around someone doing a single deed for their own family. Arkansas describes its approved solutions as meeting mortgage industry standards. New Hampshire tells its notaries to check with the title company or lender first on any property transaction.

The legal position and the practical one are separate questions. An “Operational” status answers only the first.

Important Recording Caution for Quitclaim Deeds

A state may allow remote online notarization, but that does not automatically mean every county recorder will accept every remotely notarized deed in every situation.

Before using an online notary for a quitclaim deed, confirm:

Remote Online Notarization FAQ

What is remote online notarization?

Remote online notarization allows the signer to appear before the notary using live audio-video technology instead of being physically present in the same room.

Can a quitclaim deed be notarized online?

In many states, yes. However, deed recording rules vary. Confirm that your county recorder will accept the remotely notarized deed before relying on online notarization.

Do all states allow remote online notarization?

No. Most states allow some form of remote online notarization, but some states do not authorize it or have enacted laws that are not yet fully operational. Check the table above for your state's current status.

Does online notarization replace recording the deed?

No. Notarization and recording are separate steps. After a deed is signed and notarized, it usually still must be recorded with the county recording office where the property is located.

Can I use NotaryLive for a quitclaim deed?

If remote online notarization is permitted for your transaction and accepted by the recording office, and the service has a notary who meets your state’s rules, an online notary service such as NotaryLive may be a convenient option.

Continue With Quitclaim Deed Help

Need help deciding whether to prepare your deed yourself, use a document preparation service, or get the deed notarized?

Visit our Quitclaim Deed Help page for more options.