Notary Industry Insight - May 2026

Stop Paying for the Trip - Just Have it Notarized.

The only thing that should drive your notary bill is the work - not the miles. The Road to Smarter Notarizations Starts and Ends at Your Keyboard.

Every mile a notary drives to meet a client cost more than it did just months ago. Remote Online Notarization flips that equation entirely – no car, no commute, no fuel costs and travel time to factor into the final invoice for services.  Here’s why taking a step into the future using Remote Online Notarization (RON) just makes perfect sense nowadays: 

  • No more fuel costs eating into your budget.
  • Clients stop paying travel Time surcharges
  • Appointments take minutes, not hours.
  • Easy to Follow Online Notarization Process with the Notary Guiding the Way
  • More Secure than a Paper and Wet Ink Signing
  • Online Notarizations are Legal in Most of the Country, and It's Growing.

Not every document qualifies for RON. Wills and other sensitive legal documents require an in-person signing — not as a formality, but because a notary’s direct observation of the principal signers is essential to confirming their identity, their understanding, and their capacity to execute the document. 

With fuel prices up 44% over the past year, every mile a notary drives to your door gets passed along to you as a travel fee. Remote Online Notarization eliminates that cost entirely – Your invoice pertains to the notarization, and not the travel and time costs. 

Travel fees aren’t padding the bill – they cover real expenses. But paying more simply for where you live or work, for a signing that takes just minutes, is a frustration RON removes completely. Your bill reflects the online services, nothing more. 

A traditional mobile notarization, or real estate closing, for that matter, can consume a better part of a work day once you factor in scheduling and wait time. A RON session for general documents typically wraps up in 15 to 20 minutes – depending on the number of signers and signatures. A real estate closing with more documents will likely take a little more time. But both can take place from wherever you, and any other signers happen to be, even if in different areas of the USA or the World. 

RON may sound more complicated than it is. You schedule, then receive a private link, log on, verify your identity, complete any details left blank, and sign. Most platforms walk everyone through each step automatically. If you’ve ever joined a video call, such a Zoom, you’re already most of the way there. Artsa’s notary will be there to assist. 

RON actually exceeds the security of a traditional paper signing. Every session requires multi-factor idenity verification, is recorded and time-stamped, and sealed with tamper-evident technology that flags any unauthrized changes instantly. 

As of present day, 45 states and D.C. have permanent RON laws – and the list is growing. Even if your state hasn’t passed its own legislation, a signing by a commissioned RON notary in an authorized state is legally recognized nationwide. It’s also advisable to confirm with who is requesting the notarized document that an electronic notarization meets their needs. 

Still wondering if RON is legal in your state? The National Association of Secretaries of State maintains an official, up-to-date directory where you can look up your states specific notary rules in seconds – just visit NASS Business Services/Notary Services and select your state from the drop down menu. 

Gas Price Data: AAA/Lending Tree, May 2026 * RON law data: NASS, 2025
For informational purposes only. Always verify current laws with your state’s Secretary of State or a licensed attorney.