Remote Online Notarization in Florida: How a Remote Closing Works
Roger Verghese
CEO & Founder, Warehouse Company Holdings
Roger is CEO, Founder & Licensed Title Agent of Title Warehouses of America Inc (est. 2006). With 50+ years of combined experience in Title Services, Real Estate, Lending, and Insurance, he understands every aspect of the home closing process from contract to keys. A 30+ year Central Florida resident, Roger helps Orlando families navigate title insurance and closing services with expertise and transparency.
Not everyone can be in Florida on closing day. Remote online notarization, or RON, lets buyers and sellers sign their closing documents by secure video from wherever they are, with a Florida online notary on the other end of the call. This guide explains how it works, what Florida law requires and when it is the right choice.
What Remote Online Notarization Is
In a traditional closing, you sign paper documents in front of a notary. In a RON closing:
- You and the notary meet by live, two-way audio and video
- You sign the documents electronically
- The notary applies an electronic seal and signature
- The whole session is recorded
Florida authorized online notarization in Part II of Chapter 117, Florida Statutes, which took effect on January 1, 2020.
What Florida Law Requires
For the online notary
To perform online notarizations, a Florida notary must register with the Florida Department of State as an online notary. Registration requires:
- A current Florida notary commission
- Completion of a course on the duties and technology of online notarization
- A $25,000 bond
- Errors and omissions insurance of at least $25,000
- Use of a RON service provider whose technology meets Florida's requirements
For identity checks
Before you sign, your identity is verified in layers:
- Credential analysis. You photograph your government-issued photo ID and the platform checks it for signs of tampering.
- Identity proofing. You answer questions generated from your personal history, or complete another approved identity check.
- Live video. The notary sees you and compares you with your ID.
For witnesses
Some closing documents need witnesses. Florida deeds, for example, must be signed in front of two witnesses. With RON:
- A witness can be with you or remote, using the same audio-video technology.
- A remote witness must confirm on the recording that they live in and are physically located in the United States.
- Remote witnessing does not work for a signer who is a vulnerable adult. Signers answer screening questions, and if the answers show a vulnerability, the document must be witnessed in person.
For records
The online notary or RON provider must keep the audio-video recording and the notary's electronic journal for at least 10 years.
For fees
Florida caps the notary's fee at $25 per online notarial act. Platform and other service fees are separate from that cap.
How a RON Closing Works, Step by Step
- Confirm your lender allows it. Lender acceptance varies by lender and loan type, so ask early.
- The title company schedules the session and sends you a secure link.
- Review your documents in advance and send questions to the title company before the session.
- Complete identity verification on the platform.
- Join the video session. The notary confirms your identity, any witnesses join, and you sign each document electronically.
- The notary completes the notarization. The title company receives the signed documents, funds the transaction once everything is in, and records the deed and mortgage with the county.
What you need:
- A current government-issued photo ID
- A computer or tablet with a camera, microphone and reliable internet
- A quiet, private place to sign
RON or Mail-Away Closing?
| Remote online closing | Mail-away closing | |
|---|---|---|
| How you sign | Electronically, by video with an online notary | On paper, in front of a notary near you |
| Witnesses for a deed | In person or by video | In person with you |
| Shipping | None | Overnight both ways |
| Speed | Usually faster | Adds a few business days |
| Lender acceptance | Depends on the lender and loan type | Widely accepted |
Mail-away closing is the better fit when a lender requires ink signatures or a signer prefers paper. See our guide to mail-away closings in Florida.
Who Uses Remote Closings
- Out-of-state buyers and investors buying Florida property
- Snowbirds who are back home when it is time to close
- Sellers who have already moved
- Military families stationed away from Florida
- Busy professionals who cannot get to the office during business hours
Protect Your Money
A remote closing is still a target for wire fraud. Never act on wire instructions sent by email, and confirm them by calling the title company at a number you found yourself. Read our guide to avoiding wire fraud at your Florida closing.
Remote Closings With Title Warehouses of America
We handle closings across Florida from our Orlando office, including remote online closings, mail-away closings, in-office closings and mobile notary signings. To see what happens from contract to keys, read our guide to the Orlando home closing process, or call 888-354-8005.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Whether a document can be signed by remote online notarization depends on the document, the signer and the lender.