Yes. Remote Online Notarization has been legal in Virginia since 2020, when the Commonwealth became one of the earlier states to authorize it. A signer anywhere in Virginia can have a document notarized over a secure, recorded video session, with no need to meet the notary in person.
RON isn't a workaround or a gray area — it's a fully regulated notarial act under Virginia law, using the same legal weight as an in-person notarization. Here's what that actually means in practice.
What makes a RON session legally valid
Three things have to be true for a Virginia RON session to count as a valid notarization:
- The notary must be commissioned specifically for electronic and remote notarization by the Commonwealth of Virginia, in addition to the standard notary commission.
- The signer's identity has to be verified through approved methods — typically credential analysis (scanning a government ID) plus identity-proofing questions, often called knowledge-based authentication.
- The session has to be conducted over an approved platform that records audio and video of the entire notarization and retains that recording as required by law.
Ferguson Signature Services conducts RON sessions through the NotaryCentral platform, with IdenTrust digital credentialing for signer verification — both meet Virginia's requirements.
Who can use RON
Any signer physically located in Virginia at the time of the session can use RON — the notary doesn't have to be in the same city or county as the signer, since the entire notarial act happens over the secure video platform. This is different from a mobile notary, who has to travel to wherever the signer is.
What documents work well with RON
Powers of attorney, affidavits, and many general business and personal documents are well suited to RON. Some real estate documents can also be handled remotely, depending on the underlying transaction and what the receiving party (a title company, lender, or court) will accept — it's worth confirming with that party before assuming a document can be done remotely.
What a RON session costs
A typical RON session for one notarial act and one signer runs $50: $25 for the notarial act, $15 for the technology used to run the secure session, and $10 for identity verification. Payment is collected securely via Stripe before the session starts. See the full RON pricing breakdown.
RON vs. showing up in person
The tradeoff is simple: RON trades travel time and a travel fee for a short setup step (verifying identity on camera and confirming the platform works on your device). For a single, straightforward document, that trade is usually worth it. For more complex signings, or when the receiving party specifically wants an in-person notarization, mobile or traditional notary is the better fit — see the full comparison of mobile, traditional, and RON.
Ready to schedule a RON session, or have a document you're not sure qualifies?