Common Mistakes to Avoid During Remote Notary Sessions

Remote online notarization is convenient, but a single misstep during a session can invalidate a notarization, expose you to liability, or cost you a client. Whether you’re new to RON or an experienced notary, avoiding these common mistakes keeps your sessions compliant, professional, and efficient.

Here are the most common mistakes notaries make during remote online notarization sessions, and exactly how to avoid each one.

1. Skipping Proper Preparation

Walking into a session unprepared is the fastest way to run into problems. Before every appointment, confirm the documents are complete and correct, verify the signer is ready and reachable by video, and test your technology in advance. A well-prepared session is faster, smoother, and far less likely to go wrong.

2. Not Knowing Your State’s Legal Requirements

Every state has its own RON rules, and a notarization done outside them can be invalid. Before you perform remote notarizations, make sure you know your state’s accepted forms of ID, which documents qualify for RON, and any state-specific mandates. Confirm your state’s status on our RON legality by state pages, and stay current, laws change.

3. Mishandling Identity Verification

Identity verification is the heart of the notarial act, and getting it wrong is one of the most serious mistakes you can make. Follow your platform’s full verification workflow, knowledge-based authentication, credential analysis, and any required checks, and never shortcut it, even for a signer who seems trustworthy or is in a hurry. For best practices, see how remote notaries verify identity.

4. Letting Technical Issues Derail the Session

Poor connectivity, unfamiliar software, or a dropped call can stall or invalidate a session. To minimize risk, use your platform confidently (practice before live sessions), ensure a stable connection, and know your platform’s procedure if the video drops mid-session, RON requires a continuous, verified live connection.

5. Failing to Keep Proper Records

Incomplete recordkeeping can create serious legal exposure later. Make sure you retain the session recording, a complete electronic journal entry (date, time, signer details, notarial acts), and anything else your state mandates, for the full required retention period. This is not optional, it’s often the evidence that protects you if a notarization is ever challenged.

6. Poor Time Management

Sessions can run long when technical issues arise or a signer needs guidance. Block enough time per appointment, communicate the expected duration to signers up front, and be ready to walk clients through the process patiently. Rushing leads to mistakes.

7. Neglecting Signer Comfort and Trust

A nervous or confused signer slows everything down and reflects poorly on you. Use a secure, professional setup, briefly explain your security and verification steps so the signer feels at ease, and respond calmly to their questions. Trust and professionalism turn one-time signers into repeat clients and referrals.

8. Giving Legal or Notarial Advice You Shouldn’t

One of the most common and risky mistakes: a notary is a neutral witness, not an attorney. Don’t advise signers on what a document means, whether they should sign it, or how to fill it out. Doing so can constitute the unauthorized practice of law and expose you to liability. Verify identity, witness the signature, and stay in your lane.

Turn Clean Sessions Into a Real Income

Avoiding these mistakes doesn’t just keep you compliant, it builds the reputation that leads to steady, well-paid work. See what remote notaries actually earn in our guide on how much a remote online notary makes, and if you’re just getting started, our state-by-state guides on how to become a remote online notary walk you through commissioning, technology, and your first paid signing.