How to Become an Online Notary in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania allows commissioned notaries to perform Remote Online Notarizations, commonly called RON. Instead of requiring the signer and notary to meet at the same physical location, an authorized Pennsylvania notary can perform qualifying notarial acts using approved communication technology.

Pennsylvania permanently authorized remote online notarization under state law, but not every traditional Pennsylvania notary can immediately begin performing remote notarizations.

Step 1: Become a Commissioned Pennsylvania Notary Public

If you already have an active and unrestricted Pennsylvania Notary Public commission, you can move on to the remote online notarization authorization steps below.

If you're starting from scratch, you'll first need to qualify for a traditional Pennsylvania notary commission.

Generally, Pennsylvania requires a notary applicant to:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
• Reside in Pennsylvania or have a place of employment or practice in Pennsylvania.
• Be able to read and write English.
• Meet Pennsylvania's character and eligibility requirements.
• Complete the required Pennsylvania notary education.

Pennsylvania requires applicants to complete at least three hours of approved notary education within the six months immediately before submitting an initial or reappointment application.

Step 2: Complete the Pennsylvania Notary Exam if Required

Pennsylvania requires certain notary applicants to pass the state notary examination.

If you do not hold a current and unexpired Pennsylvania notary commission when your application is received, you will generally need to pass the examination.

This typically includes:

• First-time Pennsylvania notary applicants.
• Former Pennsylvania notaries whose previous commission has expired.

The examination is currently administered through Pearson VUE and costs $65 per test.

Notaries who apply for reappointment while their current commission remains active generally do not need to retake the examination.

Step 3: Obtain Your Pennsylvania Surety Bond and Complete Your Commission

Pennsylvania requires commissioned notaries to obtain a surety bond.

Notaries who were already commissioned before the new requirement took effect may generally continue using the bond associated with their existing commission until that commission expires.

After being appointed, a Pennsylvania notary generally has 45 days to complete the required commissioning steps, which include obtaining the bond, taking the oath of office, registering the required signature, and recording the commission, oath, and bond with the appropriate county office.

What About E&O Insurance?

Errors and Omissions insurance, commonly called E&O insurance, is different from the Pennsylvania surety bond.

The surety bond protects the public. E&O insurance may provide additional protection to the notary for certain covered mistakes or claims.

Pennsylvania does not require E&O insurance as part of the basic state notary commission, although a notary may choose to carry it or a technology provider may have its own requirements.

Step 4: Apply for Pennsylvania Electronic and Remote Notarization Authorization

Holding a traditional Pennsylvania notary commission does not automatically authorize you to perform remote online notarizations.

Before performing a notarial act involving a remotely located signer, you must notify the Pennsylvania Department of State and receive authorization through Pennsylvania's Electronic/Remote Notarization Program.

Pennsylvania uses its online electronic notary services system for this process.

Step 5: Choose a Pennsylvania-Approved RON Technology Provider

Once you're authorized to perform remote notarizations, you'll need to use technology that meets Pennsylvania's requirements.

Pennsylvania maintains an official list of approved electronic and remote-notarization technology providers. A notary should make sure the provider they intend to use is properly approved and associated with their Pennsylvania electronic-notary authorization.

This means Pennsylvania notaries can use Online Notary Center as their RON technology provider after completing the applicable state authorization and platform setup requirements.

Step 6: Set Up Your Remote Online Notary Technology

A Pennsylvania remote notarization requires more than an ordinary video call.

The communication technology must allow the notary and remotely located signer to communicate simultaneously by sight and sound while also satisfying Pennsylvania's requirements for identification, electronic records, security, and recording.

A complete RON workflow may include:

• Live two-way audio-video communication.
• Electronic document presentation and signing.
• Identity proofing.
• Credential analysis.
• Knowledge-based authentication or other approved identity methods.
• Electronic notary credentials.
• Application of the notarial certificate.
• Audio-video recording.
• Secure record retention.

Your remote notarization must be performed through technology and procedures that comply with Pennsylvania law and Department of State requirements.

Step 7: Properly Identify the Remote Signer

Confirming the signer's identity is one of the most important parts of a Pennsylvania remote online notarization.

Pennsylvania permits a notary to identify a remotely located individual through methods such as:

• Personal knowledge of the signer.
• Satisfactory evidence provided through a credible witness.
• Approved identity-proofing processes or services.

When identity proofing is used, Pennsylvania law generally requires at least two different types of identity-proofing processes or services.

Depending on the approved RON technology, these methods may include credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication, biometric identification, or other qualifying processes.

Step 8: Make Sure You Are Physically Located in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's location requirement applies to the commissioned notary.

The signer does not necessarily need to be physically located in Pennsylvania.

A Pennsylvania online notary may potentially perform qualifying remote notarizations for signers located:

• Elsewhere in Pennsylvania.
• In another U.S. state or territory.
• Outside the United States when Pennsylvania's additional requirements are satisfied.

When the signer is outside the United States, additional restrictions apply. The transaction generally must have an appropriate connection to the United States, and the notarial act cannot be prohibited by the law of the foreign jurisdiction where the signer is located.

Step 9: Use the Correct Remote Notarial Certificate

Pennsylvania requires the notarial certificate for a remotely performed act to indicate that communication technology was used.

Pennsylvania law permits substantially similar wording that clearly indicates the notarial act involved communication technology.

Step 10: Record the Session and Keep the Recording for 10 Years

Pennsylvania has significant recordkeeping requirements for remote online notarizations.

The communication technology must create an audio-video recording of the remote notarization.

The recording may be retained by the notary or by a qualifying repository or technology provider on behalf of the notary, provided Pennsylvania's requirements are satisfied.

Pennsylvania notaries must also maintain the notary journal required by state law.

Current Pennsylvania rules also restrict notaries from putting certain sensitive personally identifiable information into their journals, including complete Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, biometric data, and other protected information.

How Much Can a Pennsylvania Online Notary Charge?

Pennsylvania establishes maximum fees for official notarial acts.

This additional electronic or RON fee may be charged on top of the otherwise authorized fee for the underlying notarial act.

Notaries who charge fees should clearly disclose their charges and provide customers with an itemized receipt. Administrative or clerical fees should also be separately disclosed when applicable.

How Much Does It Cost to Become an Online Notary in Pennsylvania?

Your total cost depends on whether you already hold an active Pennsylvania notary commission.

If you already hold an active Pennsylvania notary commission, becoming authorized for remote notarization can be significantly simpler because you do not need to repeat the entire traditional commissioning process.

Does Pennsylvania Require Special RON Training?

Pennsylvania requires approved education when obtaining or renewing the underlying Pennsylvania Notary Public commission.

However, Pennsylvania currently does not require a separate additional RON-specific training course simply to notify the Department of State that you intend to perform electronic or remote notarizations.

Even without a separate RON course requirement, notaries should understand Pennsylvania's rules for signer identification, electronic certificates, approved technology, audio-video recordings, journal entries, fees, and record retention before completing their first remote session.

Do Pennsylvania Online Notaries Receive a Separate RON Commission?

Pennsylvania's remote-notary process is best understood as an additional authorization connected to your traditional Pennsylvania Notary Public commission rather than an entirely separate notary commission.

Pennsylvania notary commissions generally have a four-year term. Your ability to perform remote online notarizations depends on maintaining your underlying commission and the required electronic or remote-notary authorization.

When you receive a new Pennsylvania notary commission, you should make sure your electronic and remote-notarization authorization is completed for the new commission as required.

Can a Pennsylvania Online Notary Notarize for Someone in Another State?

Yes. The signer does not have to be physically located in Pennsylvania.

The key location requirement is that the Pennsylvania notary must physically be in Pennsylvania when performing the remote notarial act.

This can make remote online notarization useful for clients who are traveling, have moved to another state, cannot easily travel to the notary, or simply prefer to complete the transaction remotely.

The document and transaction must still satisfy all applicable legal requirements, and additional rules apply when the signer is outside the United States.

Pennsylvania Online Notary Checklist

Ready to Become an Online Notary in Pennsylvania?

Becoming a Pennsylvania online notary can give you more flexibility in how and where you serve your clients.

Start by making sure your Pennsylvania notary commission is active. Then obtain electronic and remote-notarization authorization from the Pennsylvania Department of State, select an approved technology provider, and complete the required setup before conducting your first remote notarization.

Online Notary Center is an approved Pennsylvania Remote Online Notarization technology provider, giving commissioned Pennsylvania notaries a platform designed specifically for conducting secure remote notarization sessions.

With Online Notary Center, you can bring your existing clients online and manage remote notarization sessions through a purpose-built RON workflow.