Remote online notarization platforms for a Virginia notary, compared
For a commissioned Virginia notary choosing the technology for an eNotary commission: Virginia approves no platform, so you certify that yours meets the Secretary's standard. Here is that standard, row by row, and the 5 platforms whose own pages say they take Virginia notaries. Other states' rules and lists are under state rules and approved lists.
Rule and table last checked
Best for a Virginia notary with their own clients
SIGNiX's plans include an X.509 certificate and an eNotary journal, and its own notary directory lists notaries under Virginia.
Best for Virginia loan-signing work
NotaryCam recruits real estate signing agents from a short list of states that includes VA; it asks for an IdenTrust certificate and its own E&O minimum.
Best if you want the platform to issue the certificate
Secured Signing issues X.509 certificates, writes to Virginia notaries directly, and says it stores video and journal for up to ten years.
Fig. 1Virginia keeps no approved list
Search for Virginia's approved RON platforms and you will not find a current list on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's site. Virginia chose a different model from the states that publish approved-platform lists: the Secretary sets a technology standard and leaves the judgement to you.
“The Secretary of the Commonwealth will not render an opinion or determination as to whether a particular electronic notarization system or technology used by a notary is in compliance with this Standard or the Code of Virginia. Responsibility for compliance is solely on the electronic notary.”
The application makes that real. Under § 47.1-7 your eNotary registration describes the technology you will sign with and certifies that it complies with the Secretary's standards. The Secretary's eNotary page adds that your vendor can help you write the description. If you switch to a new platform during your commission, you tell the Secretary within 90 days.
What Virginia asks of your technology
These are the rows you certify. They come from the Code of Virginia and the Secretary's Electronic Notarization Assurance Standard, not from any vendor's feature list. How other states word the same duties is in what state rules ask of a RON platform, and the identity methods in depth are in identity proofing in RON.
| Requirement | What the rule asks of the platform | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| Live two-way video and audio | You and the signer see and speak to each other at the same time, live and in real time, over a link secure from interception. | § 47.1-2; § 19.2-3.1(B)(1)-(3); Standard § 3.4 |
| Two identity methods | Unless you know the signer or use a credible witness, the platform must give you at least two of the five methods, such as credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz. | § 47.1-2 |
| An X.509 certificate from a trusted root | You sign with a digital certificate that conforms to X.509 and is issued and managed by a trusted root Certificate Authority, never past your commission's expiry. | Standard § 2.1(d)-(e) |
| A live certificate check | The system must make sure your certificate has not expired or been revoked at the moment it signs. | Standard § 3.1; § 47.1-14(E) |
| The five seal items | The seal image or text shows your commissioned name, registration number, “Electronic Notary Public”, “Commonwealth of Virginia” and your commission expiry date. | Standard § 2.1(b); § 47.1-16 |
| Virginia certificate wording | The electronic certificate must state the Virginia county or city where the notary was physically located and whether the notarization was done in person or by remote online notarization. | §§ 47.1-2, 47.1-16(A) |
| Tamper evidence anyone can verify | Your signature and seal are attached so any later change is evident, and anyone can verify them independently. | § 47.1-16(D); Standard §§ 2.1(a), 4.1-4.2 |
| Locked access to your signing key | At least one authentication factor guards your signature and seal, and the system keeps your signing key secret and protected from misuse. | Standard §§ 2.2-2.3 |
| A record you control | Entries cannot be deleted or altered, the record is backed up and under your exclusive control, and it keeps a copy of the recording for at least 5 years. | § 47.1-14(C)-(D), (F); Standard § 1.3 |
Which platforms say they take Virginia notaries
A vendor page that says “get notarized online in Virginia” is written for signers and tells you nothing about Virginia commissions. We kept only platforms whose own pages say a Virginia notary can work on them, and linked the page each statement comes from.
| Platform | What its own page says about Virginia notaries | Read |
|---|---|---|
| NotaryCam | Its open-opportunities page recruits real estate signing agents from “Biometric States Only” and lists VA among them, asking for an IdenTrust certificate. Its page | |
| OneNotary | Its become-an-online-notary page lists Virginia (VA) in the menu of states it signs notaries up from. Its page | |
| Proof | Its Virginia post (updated ) says it opened the platform to Virginia notaries two ways: as independent contracted notaries working for it, or as notaries employed by businesses that use it. Its page | |
| Secured Signing | Its Virginia post () is written to Virginia notaries: signers pass credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz, and it says it helps you keep the electronic journal and the session recording. Its page | |
| SIGNiX | Its remote-online-notary directory can be filtered to Virginia and lists notaries whose state is Virginia. Its page |
Two more platforms have Virginia pages, but both are written for people who need a document notarized, not for Virginia notaries: PandaDoc Notary and NotaryLive. If you want to notarize on either, check with the vendor that it takes Virginia commissions.
The comparison table
Columns are Virginia's duties, rows are the platforms. A check means the vendor's own page says it; an em dash means the page we read does not mention it; “check with the vendor” means the page is unclear. A check is the vendor's statement, not proof that its certificate or record meets the Virginia standard: that is the part you certify. For the network side of these platforms, see RON platforms for notary signing agents.
| Platform | Two identity methods: credential analysis and a knowledge-based quizCredential analysis + KBA | Live two-way audio-video session, recordedSession recorded | Recording kept at least 5 years with the electronic recordRecording kept | Electronic record of notarial actsElectronic record | Digital certificate, tamper-evident signature and sealCertificate | You can notarize for your own clientsOwn clients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NotaryCam | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | check with the vendor | Meets |
| OneNotary | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets |
| Proof | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets |
| Secured Signing | Meets | Meets | check with the vendor | Meets | Meets | Meets |
| SIGNiX | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets | Meets |
Each platform, read against Virginia's rule
The cards use Virginia's own words for each row and the vendor's words for each answer, softened where the page was unclear. Virginia also leaves control of the record with you, so a storage term matters only if the contract keeps your access to it.
NotaryCam
A remote and in-person electronic notarization platform, backed by Stewart Title, that licenses its software to independent notaries and businesses and also runs its own contract notary service.
A Virginia signing agent who wants loan-signing work on a platform's own team, or a licence for their own clients.
- Two identity methods: credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz
- Meets
- Its RON page says the signer's identity is verified with knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis.
- Live two-way audio-video session, recorded
- Meets
- Its licensing page lists video and screen recording of every session.
- Recording kept at least 5 years with the electronic record
- Meets
- The independent-notary page lists a "10-year minimum video and notary journal retention"; check the term still applies when you sign.
- Electronic record of notarial acts
- Meets
- Lists notary journal retention alongside video retention for licensed independent notaries.
- Digital certificate, tamper-evident signature and seal
- check with the vendor
- Asks independent notaries to provide a current digital certificate and a RON notary seal; how the certificate is applied is not described, check with the vendor.
- You can notarize for your own clients
- Meets
- Its software for independent notaries lets the notary schedule their own appointments and complete RON transactions for their own clients.
OneNotary
A RON and IPEN platform with a free notary account for inviting your own clients, plus flat-rate general notary work assignments for approved notaries.
A Virginia notary who already holds an IdenTrust certificate and wants a free account for their own clients.
- Two identity methods: credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz
- Meets
- Says identity proofing (KBA) and credential analysis are included; signers answer identity questions and photograph their ID, through its partner IDology.
- Live two-way audio-video session, recorded
- Meets
- Says "the session is recorded and stored in your electronic journal".
- Recording kept at least 5 years with the electronic record
- Meets
- Its notary plans list "10 years storage of a session video"; check the term for your plan with the vendor.
- Electronic record of notarial acts
- Meets
- Lists an electronic journal as included for notaries.
- Digital certificate, tamper-evident signature and seal
- Meets
- The notary uploads their own digital certificate (it names IdenTrust) to digitally stamp notarizations; it does not support certificates issued by other RON providers.
- You can notarize for your own clients
- Meets
- A free notary account lets the notary invite their own clients to a session.
Proof
An identity and online notarization platform (formerly Notarize) with its own on-demand Notarize Network and a separate account type for notaries who run their own RON business.
A Virginia notary joining an on-demand network, or one employed by a business that runs on Proof.
- Two identity methods: credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz
- Meets
- Its notary-business help page lists knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis built into the platform.
- Live two-way audio-video session, recorded
- Meets
- Lists "end-to-end session recordings" for notary-sourced transactions.
- Recording kept at least 5 years with the electronic record
- Meets
- Says recordings and the journal are "managed and stored by Proof for your state's minimum record retention period".
- Electronic record of notarial acts
- Meets
- Keeps a notary journal on the platform; a separate help article covers exporting it.
- Digital certificate, tamper-evident signature and seal
- Meets
- Issues each notary a Proof Digital Certificate plus a free electronic seal; its title FAQ says it does not support certificates or seals bought from other vendors.
- You can notarize for your own clients
- Meets
- Notary-sourced transaction accounts let a notary send transactions to their own clients, in the states Proof lists; check your state is on that list.
Secured Signing
A digital signature and RON platform with plans for individual notaries, in-house notaries, signing services and title companies, plus IPEN and an outsource notary queue.
A Virginia notary who wants the platform to issue the X.509 certificate and keep video and journal.
- Two identity methods: credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz
- Meets
- Verifies signers with knowledge-based Q&A against personal-history databases (80% correct to proceed) and SMS two-factor codes; credential analysis is not named on the page read.
- Live two-way audio-video session, recorded
- Meets
- Records the live video signing and notarization session and adds it to the document.
- Recording kept at least 5 years with the electronic record
- check with the vendor
- Says "We store the video for up to 10 years": a ceiling, not a minimum, where a state asks for at least ten. Ask the vendor to confirm the term in writing.
- Electronic record of notarial acts
- Meets
- Keeps a digital journal, exportable to PDF or Excel and stored for up to 10 years.
- Digital certificate, tamper-evident signature and seal
- Meets
- Issues X.509 certificates (with IdenTrust Federal Bridge certificates where a state requires them) and calls its PKI signing tamper-evident.
- You can notarize for your own clients
- Meets
- Sells RON to individual notaries to verify and notarize for their own clients.
SIGNiX
A cloud digital-signature company whose RON product (eNotaryDoX) gives a notary X.509 certificate signing, an eNotary journal, signer authentication and stored video.
A Virginia notary or title office that wants standards-based digital signatures and its own notaries in the session.
- Two identity methods: credential analysis and a knowledge-based quiz
- Meets
- Offers knowledge-based authentication and identity document verification; credential analysis is listed in its title-agency plan.
- Live two-way audio-video session, recorded
- Meets
- Lists video recording in its RON software; its plan FAQ says Zoom is integrated for the recording, optional, and other video platforms can be used.
- Recording kept at least 5 years with the electronic record
- Meets
- Its RON plans list "Video Storage (10 years)"; check the term with the vendor.
- Electronic record of notarial acts
- Meets
- Its RON plans include an eNotary Journal.
- Digital certificate, tamper-evident signature and seal
- Meets
- Plans include an X.509 digital certificate; it says its standards-based digital signatures protect the document from tampering.
- You can notarize for your own clients
- Meets
- Sells RON plans per notary user, and its directory lists independent notary businesses that use it.
Who controls your record
Most RON platforms keep the journal and the session recording for you, and most of the five here say so. Virginia adds a condition few vendor pages mention: the electronic record of your acts belongs to you, stays under your exclusive control, and cannot be edited once an entry is stored.
“The electronic record is at all times the exclusive property of the notary and no employer or vendor of e-notary services may retain control of a notary's electronic record for any reason.”
Read with § 47.1-14(F), that means a platform-kept journal works for a Virginia notary only if you reach it under your own login, nobody else can use it, and you can take a full copy with you when you leave the platform or your employer. Keep the record and the recording for at least 5 years. Our electronic notary journals comparison covers journals you keep outside any platform.
Your certification file
Before you certify a platform on your application, get its answer to each Virginia requirement in writing and keep the answers. Tick what the vendor has answered; copy the rest as a message to send them.
Virginia platform certification file, juratkit.com
Tick a row once the vendor has answered it in writing. Copy gives you the rest as a message to send them.
Requirements answered in writing
0 of 9
9 still open, starting with live two-way video and audio.
Dates and figures to plan around
- 2026-07-01
Every Virginia notary, not only eNotaries, keeps a record of paper acts performed from this date for at least five years.
- 2027-07-01
New notary and eNotary applicants take a course approved by the Secretary and pass a written exam first; renewals need a shorter course.
Va. Code §§ 47.1-5 (both versions), 47.1-5.2 (eff. July 1, 2027)
- 90 days
The time you have to tell the Secretary, with a short description, after you start using new or updated signing technology.
The rest of Virginia's rule on file, with the cite for each. New to remote work? Start with how to become a remote online notary.
- How a notary gets RON authority
Hold a current traditional Virginia commission, then file the online electronic notary application ($45, non-refundable) with a signature page that includes your electronic notary seal. The form gives your names, a description of the signing technology, a certification that you comply with the Secretary's standards and your email, and is signed with that electronic signature. Notify the Secretary within 90 days of using new technology.
Va. Code § 47.1-7; Secretary of the Commonwealth eNotary page read
- Journal entry fields
Date and time of day; type of act; type, title or description of the document; printed name and address of each principal; evidence of identity; the fee charged; plus, for a video-based identification, a copy of the recording and a note of any other ID used.
- Fee for a remote act
Up to $25 for an electronic notarial act; actual travel expenses only by agreement.
- Where the signer may be
The Code sections read set no limit on where the signer is. An electronic notarial act is deemed performed in Virginia and governed by Virginia law, and the certificate names the Virginia county or city where the notary was physically located.
How we compared
Hold commissions in more than one state? The other no-list states read the same way: Texas and Washington. Florida publishes provider self-certifications instead (Florida), and the 8 list states keep approved ones (state approved-platform lists).
Questions Virginia notaries ask
Does Virginia publish a list of approved RON platforms?
No. The Secretary of the Commonwealth's Electronic Notarization Assurance Standard says the Secretary will not rule on whether any system complies; compliance is the electronic notary's responsibility.
Then how do I know a platform meets Virginia's rule?
You check it against the standard and certify it on your eNotary application. Ask the vendor to answer each requirement in writing (the certification file above builds the message); 5 platforms on this page say on their own pages that they take Virginia notaries.
Can I use the digital certificate my platform gives me?
Only if it conforms to X.509, is issued and managed by a trusted root Certificate Authority, and is not used past your commission's expiry date. Some platforms issue one; others ask you to bring your own. See notary digital certificate providers, compared; how Virginia's seal and signature sit beside the certificate is in electronic notary seal requirements.
How long do I keep the session recording?
When video is how you identified the signer, a copy of the recording is part of your electronic record, which you keep for at least 5 years from the transaction. The recording retention date tool works out the date.
Do I have to tell the Secretary if I change platforms?
Yes. If you start using new or updated signing technology during your commission, you notify the Secretary electronically within 90 days with a brief description of it.
What does it cost to become a Virginia eNotary, and what can I charge?
The eNotary application fee is $45, non-refundable. You may charge up to $25 for an electronic notarial act; platform fees are a separate matter between you and the vendor.
Related
- Colorado's remote notarization providersThe Secretary of State's register of remote notarization system providers, read and dated.
- Maryland's authorized RON vendorsThe Secretary of State's authorized list, and what being on it does and does not mean.
- Nebraska's approved online notary solution providersThe online notary list and the separate in-person electronic list, read and dated.
- Louisiana's approved remote notary vendorsThe state's registry of remote notary vendors and what the notary must still verify.