Almost all states and jurisdictions recognize notarial acts performed in other states, be it
traditional or remote online notarizations (RON), including the few states that do not allow their
own notaries to perform remote online notarizations. Notary publics are legally allowed to
notarize documents from any state as long the notarial act is conducted within the geographical
boundaries of the notary's state of commission. However, it’s recommended to reach out to your
receiving party regarding particular acceptance criteria, especially when dealing with sensitive
issues like Wills and Estate planning.
For example, a notary commissioned in Tennessee can traditionally notarize a document from
Georgia if the client visits Tennessee for the notarization. Similarly, a Tennessee notary can
perform a RON for a client within Georgia as long as the notary public is located within TN at the
time of the notarization.
Key points to remember:
- A notary's commission is specific to the state where they are registered.
- While a notary can notarize a document from another state, the notarial act must take
place within the state of commission. - If a client needs to notarize a document in another state, he/she must find a notary
licensed in that state.
