How to Become a Remote Online Notary in Virginia (2026)

Overview

Virginia commissions are 4-year terms. The $25 endorsement fee is standard. Virginia does not require a surety bond for the traditional notary commission – which, combined with the early RON infrastructure, makes Virginia one of the lower-cost states to enter the RON market. Once endorsed, Virginia RON notaries can serve signers anywhere in the country.

Virginia’s RON Legal Framework: An Early Adopter Since 2012

Virginia enacted electronic notarization authority in 2012 – years before most states moved to formalize RON frameworks. Virginia’s RON framework under the Virginia Notary Act:

• Active Virginia notary commission (4-year term) issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth
• No surety bond required for the traditional commission
• Completion of required training on remote notarization
• Remote notary endorsement application submitted to and approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth
• Use of a Secretary of the Commonwealth-approved RON platform
• Two-way real-time audio-visual communication for every remote session
• Identity verification using credential analysis and/or KBA
• Electronic journal entry required per notarial act
• Audio-visual recording retained for minimum 5 years
• Remote notarial certificate language on all electronic certificates

Virginia’s “Secretary of the Commonwealth” – Not “Secretary of State”

Virginia does not have a Secretary of State. The equivalent office is the Secretary of the Commonwealth, which administers notary commissions and remote notary endorsements. When following national RON guides that reference “Secretary of State,” substitute “Secretary of the Commonwealth” for Virginia. The application portal is at commonwealth.virginia.gov/notary. This distinction affects where you search for forms, how you address application correspondence, and how you reference the issuing authority in your notarial certificates.

Virginia’s “Remote Notary Endorsement” Terminology

Virginia uses the term “remote notary endorsement” for RON authorization. This endorsement is separate from and in addition to the traditional notary commission. What this means practically:

• You hold a standard Virginia notary commission
• You apply separately for the remote notary endorsement
• Only after the endorsement is issued can you perform remote sessions
• The endorsement is tied to your commission – when you renew the commission, verify whether the endorsement automatically carries over or requires separate renewal

No Bond Requirement: Virginia’s Cost Advantage

Virginia does not require a surety bond for the traditional notary commission. This is a meaningful cost advantage over states like Nevada ($25,000 bond), Pennsylvania ($10,000 bond), Missouri ($10,000 bond), and Arkansas ($7,500 bond). For notaries evaluating which states to establish RON credentials in, Virginia’s no-bond requirement eliminates a recurring annual cost that can run $50-$200/year in other states.

Virginia’s 5-Year Recording Retention Requirement

Virginia requires that audio-visual recordings of remote notarial sessions be retained for a minimum of 5 years. This is one of the longer retention requirements nationally. Before selecting a RON platform, verify:

• Whether the platform offers 5-year recording storage included in the subscription
• Whether long-term storage incurs additional costs beyond the base platform fee
• Whether recordings can be exported and stored independently if you change platforms

Virginia-Approved RON Platforms

Virginia requires the use of a Secretary of the Commonwealth-approved RON platform. Platforms that have been approved for Virginia RON include:

• Notarize (Proof) – high consumer session volume, strong Virginia market
• NotaryLive – scheduling and session management tools
• DocVerify – enterprise and financial document workflows
• SIGNiX – mortgage and title company integrations
• Pavaso – real estate and mortgage document focus

Verify the current approved list at commonwealth.virginia.gov/notary before the endorsement application.

Common Mistakes Virginia RON Notaries Make

• Referring to the “Secretary of State” – Virginia uses the Secretary of the Commonwealth
• Not retaining recordings for the full 5-year period
• Using a platform not on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s approved list
• Performing remote sessions before the endorsement is issued
• Not verifying endorsement renewal requirements at commission renewal time

Before You Start

Virginia RON requires the remote notary endorsement before any remote session. Complete required training, submit the endorsement application with platform information, pay the $25 fee, and wait for confirmation. Plan for 5-year recording retention in your platform selection. Official reference: Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth – Notary.

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