Public Notary Online: how it works, when to use it, and how we handle at Notary Public Center

What “public notary online” means (and why it’s more than a video call)

Public notary online refers to a legally compliant Remote Online Notarization. In Florida (where we are commissioned), a valid RON session includes:

• Two-way, real-time audio/video with the notary physically located in Florida.

• Identity proofing via KBA (knowledge-based authentication) — time-sensitive questions tied to your credit/public data.

• Credential analysis of your government ID (automated checks of security features and data consistency).

• Optional biometric liveness/face match on modern platforms.

• A recorded session retained under program rules, and exclusive control of the notary’s electronic seal/signature.

Tamper-evident protection. Once we notarize your document online, the PDF is sealed with a digital certificate and a cryptographic hash. Any post-signing change breaks the seal: standard PDF viewers will flag signatures as invalid. We also keep an audit trail and the recording to support verification requests from recipients.

Result: you get a defensible, verifiable, tamper-evident PDF—fast.

Online vs. in-person: which should you choose?

Both routes are valid, and we offer both. Here’s a quick chooser:

Pick online (RON) if you want…

• Speed and flexibility across time zones.

• A digital evidence package (recording + logs).

• Coordinated signing with parties in multiple locations.

Pick in person (Miami) if you need…

• A recipient who insists on wet-ink originals.

• Signers who might not pass KBA/credential analysis (e.g., very thin credit history).

• Witnesses present physically (some documents/venues still prefer it).

Not sure? We’ll help you ask the right questions so you choose a method your receiving party accepts. Policies can differ across courts, banks, recorders, schools, and consulates.

What we can notarize online (common use cases)

• Affidavits and declarations (jurats and acknowledgments).

• Powers of attorney (POA) for personal and business matters.

• Travel consent letters for minors.

• Corporate documents (minutes, resolutions, officer certificates). For businesses expanding to the US, we can notarize your incorporation documents. If you need guidance on structuring your US branch or Visa compliance, our partners at Riveros Corp can assist before you sign.

• Education/employment forms and routine letters.

Note: Notaries cannot notarize or “certify” public vital records (birth, marriage, death). These are exclusively issued by government Vital Statistics offices. If you need to use a vital record abroad, do not notarize a photocopy; check the apostille sections below—we can help you obtain the correct original.

The apostille conversation: physical-only (and why that’s our policy)

When your notarized document will be used in a country that requires an apostille, the competent authority issues a physical certificate (commonly a stamp or sticker attached to your physical document). While some jurisdictions experiment with electronic formats, our service is expressly physical-only for apostilles. That ensures maximum acceptance by authorities that expect a paper trail.

What this means for you:

• We do not offer “digital-only” apostilles.

• We will scan the final, physically apostilled document and provide a digital copy for your records or for organizations that accept scans for preliminary review.

• If a recipient later demands to see the original, you’ll already have it in hand.

Two-part apostille service: digital pre-check + physical issuance

To save you time and rework, our apostille service is split into two coordinated phases:

Part 1 — Digital analysis & confirmation

Before moving paper anywhere, we review your case online and confirm whether the document is apostillable. We check:

• Document type (private document with notarial certificate vs. public record).

• Signature chain (e.g., notary’s commission status; for public records, whether the issuing officer is recognized).

• Destination country (Hague vs. non-Hague rules; If your document is destined for a non-Hague country requiring complex Consulate Legalization, our specialized partner brand, Apostille de la Haya, will review the specific embassy requirements to prevent rejection.

• Any extra steps your receiving authority expects (e.g., translation, witnesses, special wording).

You’ll get a clear checklist: exactly what originals to ship and how to package them. If anything is missing, you’ll know before we start the physical leg.

Part 2 — Physical issuance of the apostille

Once your originals arrive, we run the physical chain:

• For notarized private documents: the apostille is issued on the notary’s signature by the state’s competent authority.

• For public records (vital records, court, county, or state documents): the apostille is placed on the issuing official’s signature (and in some states a county clerk authentication may be needed first).

We manage filing, couriering, and return as required. When the apostille is attached, we:

• Return the original apostilled packet to you, and

• Scan the packet to deliver a digital copy (on request).

Timeframes may vary depending on office volume, holidays, and shipping.

Vital records apostilles: originals only (no exceptions)

If you need an apostille for a birth, marriage, or death certificate, the rule is simple:

• We can only apostille an original physical certificate issued by the proper Vital Records office (state/county/municipal, depending on the jurisdiction).

• We cannot use a scan, a photocopy, or a “notarized copy.”

• If you don’t have the original, our team can retrieve the correct certified copy for you directly from the Health Department or County Clerk (often the long-form version is required for international validity).

• Once we have the correct original in hand, we proceed to the physical apostille and, if you like, scan the final packet so you have a digital copy as well.

As part of the digital analysis phase, we’ll tell you exactly which version of the vital record we need and how to request it (or we can do it for you).

Can a document notarized online be apostilled?

Yes—when your destination recognizes apostilles on documents that were notarized under Florida law. The apostille attaches to the notary’s signature, not to whether the signing was in person or online. The key is that your RON must be executed properly (identity checks, complete notarial certificate, seal/signature).

That said, acceptance customs vary. Some recipients simply prefer wet-ink originals. If you’re uncertain, ask the receiving office before you notarize. If they require paper, we’ll notarize in person at our Miami office and proceed to apostille from there.