Electronic notary for business documents
An electronic notary notarizes an electronic document and completes the act with an electronic signature, a digital seal and a digital certificate instead of ink and a rubber stamp. ENotary runs electronic notarizations remotely, so your signers and the notary meet over video and the sealed record stays in your workspace.
eNotary vs RON vs IPEN
The words overlap, so here is how the three forms differ.
| Form | Where the signer is | Document | How identity is checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic notarization (eNotary) | Any form that uses an electronic document and seal | Electronic | Depends on the form below |
| In-person electronic notarization (IPEN) | In the same room as the notary | Electronic | The notary checks ID in person |
| Remote online notarization (RON) | Anywhere, over live audio and video | Electronic | Remote identity proofing and credential analysis |
ENotary performs remote online notarization, the form that removes travel for both the signer and the notary. Learn more about remote online notarization.
Notarize your next document electronically
Upload it, invite the signer and receive a sealed PDF.
The digital seal and the digital certificate
A paper notarization ends with a stamp and a signature in ink. An electronic notarization ends with two electronic parts.
- The digital notary seal:
- an image of the notary's official seal with the information the commissioning state requires, placed on the notarial certificate.
- The digital certificate:
- a cryptographic certificate issued to the notary that signs the document. It ties the notarial act to the notary and makes any later change to the document detectable.
When anyone opens the sealed PDF in a standard reader, the signature panel shows who signed it and whether the document changed after signing. Our guide to the digital certificate for online notary explains what each part proves.
How an electronic notarization is verified
- Open the PDF and check the signature panel: the notary's digital certificate should be valid and the document unchanged since signing.
- Compare the SHA-256 fingerprint in the audit trail with the fingerprint of the file you received. A match means it is the same file.
- Check the notarial certificate wording: the act type, the date, the commissioning state and the statement that the act involved communication technology.
- Ask for the audit trail export when a notarization is challenged. It shows each step of the session with timestamps.
Electronic notarial acts ENotary supports
- Acknowledgments for deeds, closing documents, powers of attorney and corporate documents.
- Jurats for affidavits, sworn statements and declarations.
- Copy certifications where the commissioning state allows them.
Some documents follow separate rules that vary by state. Check them in the document check before you send.
Related pages
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