Is Remote Online Notarization Legal in California? (2026)

Remote online notarization is not yet available for California notaries. AB 743 and SB 696 (2023) directed the Secretary of State to implement a RON program, but the final phase that allows California notaries to perform RON is not expected until January 1, 2030. Good news for signers: online notarizations performed by out-of-state notaries are already recognized in California in many cases.

Is remote online notarization available in California? Not yet — at least not for notaries commissioned in California. While California passed legislation in 2023 directing the Secretary of State to establish a RON program, the phase enabling in-state notaries to perform RON is not anticipated until January 1, 2030. Until then, California remains one of the most significant gaps in the national RON landscape, given the state’s size, economic output, and the volume of documents that require notarization each year.

What California’s 2023 Legislation Actually Did

California passed two relevant bills in the 2023-24 legislative cycle: AB 743 and SB 696. These bills did not immediately legalize RON for California notaries. Instead, they directed the California Secretary of State to develop and implement a remote online notarization program — establishing the legislative authorization while leaving the operational details to be built out through the regulatory process.

The law took effect January 1, 2024, but is operative in stages. The Secretary of State was directed to develop registration rules, and the final phase enabling California notaries and approved platforms to perform RON is anticipated by January 1, 2030. This extended timeline reflects California’s thorough — and often slow — regulatory development process.

What California Signers Can Do Now

If you’re in California and need a document notarized online before in-state RON launches, there’s a practical path. California does not universally prohibit recognition of out-of-state RON. A notarization performed by a RON-authorized notary commissioned in another state may be accepted by the institution receiving your document, depending on that institution’s acceptance policies.

Major national lenders, title companies, and financial institutions have become increasingly comfortable with cross-state RON. If you need a notarized document remotely, ask the receiving institution whether they accept out-of-state RON — many do, particularly for real estate, financial, and legal documents. To get started, see our comparison of the best online notary services or learn how to notarize documents online.

What California Notaries Should Know

California-commissioned notaries cannot legally conduct RON sessions until the SOS implements the program — expected by January 1, 2030. The California SOS has explicitly warned that any online notarizations performed by California notaries before then are invalid and illegal. Attempting to perform RON before authorization would mean operating outside your commission authority.

To be positioned for the eventual launch, follow the California SOS Notary Public Unit communications. When implementation details are published, the application process, training requirements, and approved platform list will be defined.

California’s Expected RON Market

When California fully implements its RON program, it’s expected to become one of the largest RON markets in the country by volume. The state’s real estate market, technology sector, entertainment industry, legal services infrastructure, and population size generate an enormous flow of documents requiring notarization. Its implementation will significantly reshape national RON platform volumes and market dynamics.

Staying Current

For the latest on California’s RON implementation timeline, monitor the California Secretary of State Notary Public page, and check our RON legality by state guide for other states where remote notarization is available today.