Online notarization in Florida: Get your document notarized today

Yes. Notaries who are commissioned to practice online can perform Remote Online Notarization (RON) services in Florida.

Remote Notarization in Florida has been legal since January 2020. While many states have recently adopted RON laws in response to COVID-19, Florida introduced their legislation just before the pandemic. To perform remote online notarization in Florida, notaries must possess a current commission as one of the following types of notaries:

• Traditional notary: An individual who is commissioned to perform notarial acts within the state of Florida. This includes both walk-in and mobile notaries.
• Civil law notary: A Florida attorney (a good-standing member of the Florida Bar) who is appointed by the State. A civil law notary can provide legal advice, prepare instruments with legal effect, and provide traditional notary services.
• Commissioner of deeds: A commissioner of deeds is an appointed officer whose job is to administer oaths and take acknowledgments in connection with timeshares executed within Florida. They are notably able to perform their duties outside of the state. However, they are limited to documents related to timeshares located within the state of Florida.

Remote online notaries in Florida are permitted to carry out all of the same notarial acts that a traditional notary can. These notarial acts include (but are not limited to) notarizing the following types of documents:

• Affidavits: A statement sworn under oath, in written form.
• Executing a jurat: Verifications confirming the veracity of documents.
• Taking an acknowledgement: An official acknowledgment from a signer to a notary that a document has been willingly signed.
• Taking depositions: A form of gathering evidence from a witness for a trial.
• Wills and trusts: Legal documents detailing the distribution of an estate and its assets.
• Court documents: Documents or materials filed in relation to a court case.
• Property deeds: Documents that transfer property ownership from seller to buyer.
• Custody and guardianship agreements: Documents that assign custody rights over a child.

When notarizing a document in Florida, all signers must appear before a state-commissioned notary public in real-time to sign and notarize the document. Florida allows businesses and individuals the option to choose from either traditional notarization methods (such as walk-in and mobile notaries) or Remote Online Notarization (RON).

With traditional notarization services, you would schedule a time in advance to meet with a notary in person to complete the transaction. Once the signer’s identities have been confirmed, they apply a “wet-ink” written signature or eSignature to a document. The notary will apply their signature and unique seal at this time, rendering the document legally binding.

RON simplifies and expedites this process by allowing signers to appear from multiple locations before a state-commissioned notary public using a secure, two-way connection online to eSign and notarize a document.

Remote online notaries in Florida are authorized to carry out all the same notarial acts that a traditional notary is.

To notarize your documents online or in person in Florida, there are a few requirements you will have to keep in mind. If you are notarizing your documents online, you will need to find a state-approved RON provider that can help you with your documents, such as PandaDoc Notary.

At the time of the notarization, you will also have to pay the appropriate fees, which can range from $10-25 depending on the type of transaction. All signers will also be required to provide some form of valid identification prior to signing the document to verify their identities for the notary. This is true for both online and in-person notarization.

These forms of ID can include:

1. Driver’s license
2. Passport
3. Military ID card
4. Government-issued ID card
5. Permanent resident card

To have a document notarized in Florida, all signers must appear before an actively commissioned notary public. This can be done in person with a traditional walk-in or mobile notary, or it can be done online via remote online notarization.

Florida notary law allows signers and notaries to provide traditional “wet-ink” signature notarization, electronic notarization, and Remote Online Notarization services. To provide RON services in Florida, the online notary must successfully pass a RON training course and exam, in addition to possessing a $25,00 surety bond and a $25,000 E&O policy.

Yes, any document notarized in Florida, in-person or online, will be legally valid in all 50 states. As long as the notarization is carried out in compliance with all local notarization or RON law, the document will be accepted.

Even though some states have yet to legalize some form of RON law, documents that have been eSigned and notarized online will still be considered valid in those states.

You can take advantage of the security and convenience that PandaDoc Notary offers regardless of where you happen to be at the moment. This means that the document’s signers do not need to be physically located within the boundaries of the state of Florida when you need to notarize a document fast.

PandaDoc Notary quickly connects you to a nationwide network of notaries who are legally commissioned to notarize in the states where they practice, including Florida. This means they are familiar with and in compliance with the local rules and regulations that apply to their notarization, ensuring your documents are valid each time.

An online notary can charge a fee of up to $25 per notarization service in Florida. Online notaries can charge an additional $20 to create and deliver electronic copies of the signed document, provided they disclose this fee upfront.