You can get a document notarized online in Indiana through a process called remote online notarization, in which an Indiana-commissioned notary verifies your identity and witnesses your signature over a recorded video session. The resulting electronic document carries the same legal weight as one signed with a notary physically in the room. Indiana Code 33-42-17 authorizes the practice, and 75 IAC 7 sets the technical rules. Whether you’re signing a power of attorney from a hospital room or closing on property from overseas, the workflow is the same: identity checks, a live video call, an electronic signature and seal, and a secure digital file at the end.
What You Need Before You Start
The equipment list is short. You need a computer, tablet, or phone with a working camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and a current government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport. Have the document ready and fully filled in before you log on. Completing form fields during a live call wastes the notary’s time, and most platforms charge per act no matter how long the session runs. If you don’t have the form yet, check the platform’s template library or ask the party requesting the notarization which version they need.
Before the notary appears on screen, the platform runs two automated identity checks.
The first is credential analysis. You upload images of the front and back of your ID, and the software examines it for security features, looks for signs of tampering, and compares the photo to your face on camera.1National Notary Association. How Do You Identify Signers for a Remote Online Notarization
The second is knowledge-based authentication. Indiana’s rules require the platform to generate five questions drawn from public and private data sources, each with at least five possible answers. You have to answer at least four out of five correctly within two minutes.2Legal Information Institute. Indiana Administrative Code 75 IAC 7-5-1 – Remote Notarial Act Procedures The questions pull from credit history, address records, and similar sources, so expect items about former addresses, past loan amounts, or vehicle ownership. If the connection drops or you exit before finishing, you start both checks over from the beginning.
How the Live Session Works
Once your identity is verified, you join a live audio-video call with the notary. The notary confirms you understand the document and are signing voluntarily, then walks you through applying your electronic signature. After you sign, the notary applies their own electronic signature and seal, plus a digital certificate that ties the notarization to their commission and the exact date and time.2Legal Information Institute. Indiana Administrative Code 75 IAC 7-5-1 – Remote Notarial Act Procedures
The whole session is recorded, and the notary tells you so before starting. That recording is retained as part of the permanent record and protects both sides if questions come up later.
When the notary finishes, the completed document is usually available for immediate download or arrives in your email as a secure PDF. Because it’s fully electronic, you can forward it to a bank, title company, or law firm the moment it’s ready.
What It Costs
Indiana caps the notary’s fee for a remote act at $25 per signature. That’s higher than the $10 cap on standard in-person acts, and the difference reflects the technology involved.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 33-42-14-1 – Notary Public Fees The platform itself typically charges a separate service fee on top of that, so a single remote notarization commonly runs $25 to $50 all in. Notaries have to display their fee schedule up front, so you should see the total before you commit to a session.
Where You and the Notary Can Be
The notary has to be physically inside Indiana when performing the act. No exceptions. You, the signer, can be anywhere: another state, another country, or the couch in your living room.4Justia. Indiana Code Title 33, Article 42, Chapter 17 – Remote Notarial Acts That flexibility is the main reason remote notarization works so well for real estate closings, military families, and multi-party business deals.
If you’re signing from outside the United States, two extra conditions apply. The notarial act cannot be prohibited where you’re physically located, and the transaction has to involve a matter before a U.S. court or government entity, property in the United States, or a transaction substantially connected to the country. Signers abroad often turn to Indiana remote notaries when no local notary or U.S. consular office is within reach.
When You’ll Need a Paper Version
Not every office that needs your notarized document accepts electronic files. County recorders in particular may not offer eRecording. In those situations, a step called “papering out” turns the electronic document into a certified paper copy that can be filed, and Indiana allows it for real estate documents. The general process is to print the full electronic document including the notarization, then have a notary or other authorized person attach a certification confirming the printout is a true and accurate copy of the electronic original. That paper package goes to the county recorder. The exact certification language and who qualifies to supervise the printout can vary, so check with your title company or closing agent before assuming it will go smoothly.
Whether Other States Will Accept It
A remote notarization performed under Indiana law is treated as if it happened in Indiana with everyone physically present, regardless of where you actually were.4Justia. Indiana Code Title 33, Article 42, Chapter 17 – Remote Notarial Acts Most states accept remotely notarized documents. As of early 2025, 45 jurisdictions (44 states plus the District of Columbia) have enacted their own remote notarization laws, which generally smooths cross-border acceptance because the receiving state already understands the framework. A handful of states still take restrictive or unclear positions on recognition.
Federal legislation called the SECURE Notarization Act has been introduced repeatedly, most recently as H.R. 1777 in the 119th Congress, and would establish national minimum standards and require interstate recognition.5Congress.gov. SECURE Notarization Act of 2025 Until something like that becomes law, if the party receiving your document sits in a state without RON legislation, confirm in advance that they’ll accept it.