Meet Indiana's Basic Notary Eligibility Requirements

Before becoming an online notary, you first need to qualify for an Indiana Notary Public commission.

Indiana generally requires an applicant to:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a legal resident of Indiana or be primarily employed in Indiana.
• Meet Indiana's eligibility standards concerning certain criminal convictions and findings involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit.

If you are already an active Indiana Notary Public, you can move ahead to the Remote Notary requirements below.

Obtain the Required $25,000 Indiana Surety Bond

Indiana requires Notary Public applicants to obtain a $25,000 surety bond.

The bond protects members of the public who may suffer financial harm because of certain improper notarial acts. It should not be confused with errors and omissions insurance.

Apply for Your Indiana Notary Commission

Indiana notary applications are handled through the state's INBiz system.

Current application requirements include items such as:

• Your $25,000 bond certificate.
• A signature sample matching the name on your application.
• An Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History Record that meets the state's current timing requirements.
• The required notary education course and examination.
• The state application fee.

Indiana currently lists the initial or renewal application fee as $75.

Once approved, an Indiana Notary Public commission has an 8-year term.

Keep Your Indiana Continuing Education Current

Indiana does not simply issue an eight-year commission and leave education until renewal.

Indiana Notaries Public must complete continuing education every two years during the commission. The current state fee is $50 per continuing-education course.

The courses are generally due during:

• Year 2
• Year 4
• Year 6

Make Sure You Qualify for Indiana Remote Notary Authorization

Once you are an active Indiana Notary Public, you can apply for permission to perform Remote Online Notarizations.

Indiana's official Notary Public Guide says a Remote Notary applicant must have a current Indiana notary commission with at least 90 days remaining on the commission.

You must also be current with Indiana's continuing-education requirements.

If your commission is close to expiration, it may make more sense to complete the required renewal process before applying for Remote Notary authorization.

Select an Indiana-Approved Remote Notary Technology Provider

This is one of Indiana's most important RON requirements.

An Indiana Remote Notary must perform remote notarizations through a technology provider whose system has been approved by the Indiana Secretary of State.

When you apply for Remote Notary authorization, you are required to identify at least one approved technology vendor that you intend to use.

If you later add or change Remote Notary technology vendors, Indiana also imposes notification requirements.

Complete Indiana's Remote Notary Course and Exam

Remote notarization requires additional knowledge beyond Indiana's standard notary education.

As part of the Remote Notary application process, Indiana requires applicants to complete its online Remote Notary education course and pass the Remote Notary examination.

You must also demonstrate that you can competently use your chosen remote technology system.

The current Indiana Remote Notary Authorization application fee is $100 and is nonrefundable.

Set Up Your Electronic Seal and Digital Certificate

Remote notarization involves electronic documents rather than simply placing a traditional ink stamp on paper.

Your RON technology setup must support Indiana's electronic notarization requirements, including the electronic notarial certificate, electronic notary seal, and digital certificate used to make the completed electronic document tamper-evident.

Before purchasing a digital certificate independently, confirm that it is compatible with the Remote Notary technology platform you intend to use.

Understand Indiana's Remote Identity Verification Rules

Identity verification is a major part of Remote Online Notarization.

When the notary does not personally know the signer, Indiana's Remote Notary procedures can involve a combination of:

• Remote presentation of an acceptable identification credential.
• Visual inspection of the identification.
• Credential analysis.
• Identity proofing through the approved RON system.

The approved technology platform helps perform and document these security procedures before the notarization is completed.

Record the Session and Maintain Your Electronic Journal

Traditional paper notarizations and Remote Online Notarizations have different recordkeeping requirements in Indiana.

Indiana Remote Notaries must maintain an electronic journal of their remote notarial acts and the RON system must create an audiovisual recording of the remote notarization.

Indiana's rules also require security controls designed to protect the journal, recording, signer identity information, and electronic documents from unauthorized access.

Your chosen technology platform should be designed to support these required RON records and security controls.

Be Physically Located in Indiana During the Notarization

One of the easiest Indiana RON requirements to overlook is the location of the notary.

An Indiana Remote Notary must be physically located inside Indiana when performing the remote notarial act.

The signer does not necessarily have to be in Indiana. A remotely located signer may generally participate from another state.

Additional legal conditions apply when a signer is physically located outside the United States, so those transactions should be reviewed carefully before proceeding.

Receive Approval Before Performing Indiana RON

Do not begin performing remote notarizations merely because you have completed the course or created an account with a RON provider.

You need authorization from the Indiana Secretary of State before acting as an Indiana Remote Notary.

Once approved, your Remote Notary authorization generally continues through the expiration of your current Indiana Notary Public commission.

When your underlying notary commission expires, you must renew the commission and complete the applicable process for a consecutive Remote Notary authorization.