State RON Laws

A notary and signer(s) meet in a real-time audio-visual session to execute the notarial act. The session includes identity verification that complies with the requirements of the notary's commissioning state. All parties have the tools necessary to complete the document on the Proof platform. Once the notary completes the notarial act, the document is locked with a tamper-seal as a security measure, and an audit trail provides a record of user actions taken during the transaction.

Yes. Remote notarizations involve the same notarial acts executed in person and are as legally valid as paper-based notarizations. The difference lies in the use of technology and process requirements outlined by each state to ensure that a remote notarization is properly executed.

Yes. Maryland has an established remote online notarization (RON) framework. Maryland notaries may perform online notarizations pursuant to Md. Code, State Gov’t § 18-214.

RON’s appeal lies in flexibility! A Maryland notary must be located in Maryland at the time of executing the RON, but can execute a notarial act for a signer located in any state, or abroad if the document is intended for use with US–related matters. A signer located in Maryland can complete a transaction with a notary located in any other state that commissions RON notaries.

Documents properly executed by a RON notary commissioned by any state are valid in Maryland under the concept of interstate recognition. Maryland’s interstate recognition statute is Md. Code, State Gov’t § 18-210.

Proof cannot guarantee acceptance of documents. Signers should verify that recipients will accept RON-executed documents.