# Notarization

Notarization is the act of a commissioned notary public confirming who a signer is and witnessing their signature, then adding the notary's own signature and seal.

## In plain words

A notary is a person licensed by a state to deter fraud on important documents. They check the signer's identity, watch them sign, and record the act in a journal. The notary's signature and seal go on the document. Some documents need this by law. Others need it because a lender, a recording office or the other party asks.

## docuinked doesn't offer notarization

To be plain: docuinked does not notarize documents, and we don't connect you to notaries. An [electronic signature](/glossary/electronic-signature) from docuinked is not a notarized signature, and nothing on our signing page involves a notary.

If your document must be notarized, use a notary or a remote online notarization service.

## How e-signature law treats it

ESIGN section 7001(g) and UETA section 11 say a notarization requirement can be met if the notary's electronic signature, with the information the notary must include, is attached to or linked with the record. That lets the notary sign electronically. It doesn't remove the notary. A person with a notary commission still has to perform the act.

## Remote online notarization

Remote online notarization, or RON, lets the notary and signer meet by video. States set their own rules. A common industry model calls for remote presentation of a government ID, credential analysis and knowledge-based questions, with recording and journal retention of about 10 years. Some states keep a list of approved platforms, and others set technology standards for notaries to follow.

## An example

A private seller signs a [sales agreement](/templates/sales-agreement) for a used car online with docuinked. The state title transfer form, though, needs a notarized signature. They take that one form to a notary, or use a state-approved remote service. The sales agreement and the title form follow different rules.

## Common confusions

**An access code is not a notary.** An [access code](/glossary/access-code) shows the signer had a second piece of information. It doesn't establish identity the way a notary does.

**Witnesses are not notaries.** Some documents need a witness, which is a different requirement. Check what your document needs.

## Related terms

- [Wet signature](/glossary/wet-signature)
- [ESIGN Act](/glossary/esign-act)
- [Audit trail](/glossary/audit-trail)

## Sources

Checked 2026-11-07.

- [15 USC 7001(g)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/7001)
- [UETA 1999 text, section 11](https://scs.nevada.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FED_Act99.pdf)
- [ALTA remote online notarization checklist](https://alta.org/media/pdf/ron/remote-online-notarization-checklist.pdf)
- [National Notary Association on RON technology providers](https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2024/06/do-i-have-to-work-tech-provider-perform-remote-notarizations)

This page is general information, not legal advice.

## Common questions

### Can I upload a notarized PDF and send it through docuinked?

You can upload any PDF for signature. But adding e-signatures after a notary's act may raise its own questions, so ask the notary or your lawyer first.

### Will docuinked add notarization later?

We have not announced it. Notarization brings state commissioning and platform approval rules that a signing tool doesn't have.

### Does a notarized document need an audit trail too?

A notary keeps a journal, and remote sessions are recorded under state rules. That is the notary's record, separate from any e-signature log.