Remote Online Notarization (RON) in Tennessee: 2026 Complete Guide

Remote online notarization (RON) lets you sign a document and have it notarized over a live video call instead of meeting a notary in person. It has been legal in Tennessee since July 1, 2019. It is one option alongside traditional in-person notarization, which remains fully valid. This guide explains what Tennessee law requires, how a session works, and when an in-person mobile notary is still the better choice.

What RON Is, and What It Isn’t

In a RON session, you and a commissioned online notary meet by live two-way audio and video. You sign an electronic document electronically. The notary confirms your identity and willingness, then applies an electronic signature and seal. The session is recorded, and the notary keeps an electronic record.

RON is not the same as simply e-signing a PDF. An electronic signature on its own, through any e-signature app, isn’t a notarization. It is also different from a notary watching a video call and then stamping paper later. In Tennessee, only a commissioned online notary using a compliant platform can perform an online notarization.

People often turn to RON when signers are in different cities, one party is traveling, or no one can meet a notary in person before a deadline. It works best when everyone involved, including the lender, agency or office receiving the document, is set up for electronic documents from start to finish.

What Tennessee Law Actually Says

RON rules are easy to misstate, so here are the points taken directly from Tennessee’s Online Notary Public Act (T.C.A. §§ 8-16-301 to 8-16-313) and Secretary of State guidance:

• It has been law since July 1, 2019. There is no deadline forcing a switch to online notarization.
• Only commissioned online notaries can perform it. A person must already hold a Tennessee notary commission, complete an approved online-notary course and pass its exam, contract with a technology vendor, and apply to the Secretary of State.
• The session is live audio and video. “Appearing” before an online notary means an interactive two-way audio-video connection that meets the Secretary of State’s rules.
• Identity is checked electronically. Unless the online notary personally knows you, you present a government-issued ID remotely, and the platform runs credential analysis and identity proofing.
• A record is kept. Online notaries must keep a secure electronic record of their online notarizations for at least five years.
• The usual notary duties still apply. The notary must still be satisfied about your identity and state of mind and that you are signing voluntarily.

For official details, see the Secretary of State’s page, What is an Online Notary Public?

How a RON Session Works, Step by Step

1. Choose an online notary or platform. Confirm the notary is commissioned as an online notary in Tennessee, or wherever the notary is commissioned.
2. Upload the document. It must be a complete, legible electronic file. Blank spaces cause the same problems they do on paper.
3. Verify your identity. You photograph or scan your government ID so the platform can analyze it. Most platforms also ask identity-proofing questions.
4. Join the live session. The notary sees and hears you, confirms who you are, and makes sure you understand the document and are signing willingly.
5. Sign electronically. You apply your electronic signature, and the notary completes the certificate with an electronic signature and seal.
6. Receive the notarized file. The platform delivers the finished electronic document, and the session recording is retained as required.

What You Need for a Smooth Session

• A computer or phone with a working camera and microphone
• A stable internet connection and a quiet, well-lit room
• A current government-issued photo ID for every signer. Each signer verifies separately.
• The final electronic version of the document
• Confirmation that the receiving party will accept an electronically notarized document

Will the Receiving Party Accept It?

The receiving party has the final say. Tennessee’s recording statute allows acknowledgments made by two-way audio-video communication, noted in the certificate, for documents filed with a county register (T.C.A. § 66-22-101). Banks, courts, agencies and other states set their own policies, though. Before you book any session, ask the lender, agency or office that will receive your document whether it accepts online notarizations. Documents going abroad may also need authentication. The Tennessee apostille guide explains that step.

Common Hiccups and How to Avoid Them

• Connection drops. A frozen video can interrupt the session. Use a strong signal, close other apps, and plug in your device.
• ID scan failures. Glare, worn cards and poor lighting can cause a scan to fail. Scan on a flat, dark surface in good light, and have a second ID ready.
• Identity questions you can’t answer. If the identity-proofing step fails, in-person notarization may be the practical fallback.
• Unfamiliar software. Open the platform and test your camera and microphone before the session, not during it.
• Documents the recipient rejects. Confirm acceptance before you pay for or schedule a session.

When In-Person Notarization Is the Better Fit

RON suits a signer who is comfortable with technology, has a steady camera and a document the recipient accepts electronically, and needs no witnesses. It may be a poorer fit when:

• The receiving party wants wet-ink signatures on paper.
• The signer is elderly, ill or uneasy with technology, or can’t hold an ID steady for a scan.
• The platform’s identity-proofing questions can’t confirm the signer. People with a thin credit history sometimes run into this.
• Witnesses must sign alongside the signer. A Tennessee will, for example, is signed by two witnesses in the testator’s presence. See notarizing a will in Tennessee.
• The task isn’t a notarization at all, such as reviewing documents for an I-9 authorized representative.

	RON	In-person mobile notary
Where you sign	On a screen, wherever you are	On paper, at your home, workplace, hospital or care facility
How ID is checked	ID scan, credential analysis and identity proofing	The notary examines your physical ID
Signature	Electronic	Wet ink
Works best for	Tech-comfortable signers and documents accepted electronically	Paper documents, witnessed signings, elderly or hospitalized signers

For a fuller comparison, read mobile notary vs. RON, or see how a mobile notary appointment works.

In-Person Help Around Chattanooga

Priority Mobile Notary Services is a mobile practice. Karen McCormick is a Tennessee notary public, bonded and insured through the National Notary Association. She travels to homes, workplaces, hospitals and assisted living facilities in Hixson, Chattanooga and nearby communities. If you’d rather sign on paper across the table from a notary, see the full list of notary services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is remote online notarization legal in Tennessee?

Yes. Tennessee’s Online Notary Public Act (T.C.A. §§ 8-16-301 to 8-16-313) took effect on July 1, 2019. It lets commissioned online notaries notarize electronic documents over live two-way audio and video.

Is Tennessee requiring everyone to switch to online notarization by 2026?

No. RON is an option, not a mandate. Traditional in-person notarization remains fully valid in Tennessee, and you can choose whichever method your document and the receiving party allow.

Who can perform RON in Tennessee?

Only a Tennessee notary public who has also been commissioned as an online notary. That requires completing an approved course and exam, contracting with a technology vendor, and applying to the Secretary of State.

Can a will be notarized online in Tennessee?

Wills are a special case. A Tennessee will is signed by the testator and two witnesses who sign in the testator’s presence, and a notary is involved only for the optional self-proving affidavit. Ask an estate attorney before trying to complete a will remotely.

Can RON be used for Form I-9?

Form I-9 review isn’t a notarization. Unless the employer uses the E-Verify alternative procedure, the employee’s documents must be examined in person, often by an authorized representative such as a notary acting as the employer’s agent.

Not sure which route suits your document? Call Karen at (423) 401-8316 or reach out through the contact page.