Pennsylvania remote notary: four checks before the session

Electronic and remote are two notices

The Department of State’s page on electronic or remote notarization treats these as different acts. An electronic notarization puts an electronic signature and seal on an electronic record, with you in the room. A remote notarization lets you appear by audio-visual technology. Before doing remote acts, the notary must notify the Department and identify each technology the notary will use, from the Department’s approved list.

That is why people search for “electronic notary Pennsylvania” and “Pennsylvania remote notary” as if they were one thing. A notary set up only for electronic seals still needs you in the room. The side-by-side with Virginia and New York is on electronic notary vs remote online notary. Our Pennsylvania scorecard grades the companies.

Check 1: the commission is current

Pennsylvania’s notary search lets you search by any field you fill in. Choose “current” to see only active commissions, or “all” to include inactive and expired ones. If a notary changed their last name, the current name appears with a link to past names. The full method is on how to check a notary’s commission.

Check 2: the notary gave the remote notice

A commission alone does not allow remote acts. Ask the notary to confirm, in writing if you like, that they notified the Department for remote notarization and which technology they named. Under the new regulations, the Department’s summary says a notary must also tell the Department within 30 days of changing their electronic or remote technology provider.

Check 3: the platform is on the approved list

Open the Department’s approved technology list. The version we read is updated April 30, 2026. It has separate columns for approval for in-person electronic notarization and for remote notarization, each with an approval date. Find the platform the notary will use and check the remote column.

The list names notary platforms, such as Proof, NotaryLive, OneNotary, and BlueNotary. It does not list general meeting apps such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Why that matters is on Teams notary.

Check 4: the fee is within the cap

The Department’s regulations summary says the maximum fees for existing acts did not change on March 28, 2026. Electronic and remote notaries may charge up to $20 per notarial act involving electronic records or communication technology, on top of the regular fee. A new $5 per-signature fee applies to witnessing or attesting a signature. And notaries must now give an itemized receipt for all fees.

Ask for the receipt. If a platform charges one session price, ask how much of it is the notarial fee. The fee caps for other states are on how much does a notary cost.

What else changed on March 28, 2026

• More IDs are accepted, including armed forces ID cards, Department of Homeland Security ID cards, Social Security cards, and Pennsylvania state-related or state university ID cards. A video platform may still require an ID its software can read. Ask before you start.
• The journal holds less about you. No Social Security number, full driver’s license number, or date and place of birth. Anyone may ask to inspect the journal in the notary’s presence, and certified copies must be provided within 15 days of a request.
• The stamp shows a seven-digit commission number for new commissions. Current commissions may keep the old seal until it expires.
• The notary may not keep your ID or a copy of it, unless the law permits it.

Other states’ changes this year are on notary law changes in 2026.

When to skip the video session

• The receiving office wants ink on paper. Use a walk-in or a mobile notary.
• The document needs witnesses in the room, as a will often does. See can a notary notarize a will.
• The notary cannot tell you which approved platform they use.

Next step

Run the four checks, then book. The video notaries for a Pennsylvania signer are compared on the Pennsylvania scorecard. The buttons below are ordered by grade.