These two terms get used interchangeably all the time, and the mix-up causes real confusion when someone shows up expecting to handle everything from their couch. They’re related, but they answer different questions: one is about the format of the document, the other is about whether you need to be in the same room as the notary at all.
Electronic notarization (e-notarization)
This is a notarization performed on a digital document, using an electronic signature and an electronic notary seal — but the signer and notary are still physically together, in the same room, at the same time. It’s essentially a traditional in-person notarization where the “paper” happens to be a PDF and the seal is applied digitally instead of with an ink stamp.
Remote online notarization (RON)
RON removes the in-person requirement entirely. The signer appears before the notary over live audio-video, identity is verified through a combination of credential analysis and knowledge-based questions, and the notarization is recorded and stored as part of a secure digital session. I’ve covered how the actual RON process works, step by step, in a separate article — the short version is that it’s a genuinely different appointment format, not just a video call with a stamp at the end.
Quick way to tell them apart
- E-notarization: same room, digital document.
- RON: different locations, digital document, live video session, and a recorded, timestamped record of the entire notarization.
Why the distinction matters practically
Not every document or every recipient accepts RON — some title companies, courts, or receiving institutions in other states still require an in-person or e-notarized document. Before booking a remote session, it’s worth confirming with whoever is receiving the document that a remote online notarization will actually be accepted. That five-minute check saves the headache of redoing an appointment because the receiving party wanted something different.
“Can you notarize this online?” is really two different questions depending on what you mean by “online” — and it’s worth being specific when you ask.
Not sure which format your document needs?
Tell us what the document is and where it’s headed, and we’ll tell you whether RON is an option.