The Florida RON Process — Plain English.

Key Facts About Florida RON

Authorization date

January 1, 2020 — among the earliest U.S. states to authorize permanent RON

Governing statute

URAA, Chapter 117, F.S. — primarily §117.201–§117.305

Recording retention

10 years per §117.245, F.S. — the longest mandatory retention in the U.S.

Per-signature fee cap

$25 per §117.275, F.S.

Identity verification standard

Credential analysis + KBA + visual confirmation

Geographic scope

Florida-commissioned notaries can perform RON for any signer physically located anywhere — though signer location may affect document acceptance

Document acceptance

Generally accepted in all 50 states and DC; foreign acceptance via apostille

The Three Pillars of Florida RON Compliance

1. Identity Verification — §117.295, F.S.

Florida RON identity verification is more rigorous than typical in-person ID checks. Three components must be satisfied:

• Credential Analysis — automated forensic analysis of the signer's government-issued photo ID, including security feature checks (UV patterns, microprinting, machine-readable zones)
• Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) — typically 5 questions drawn dynamically from public records (former addresses, vehicle history, etc.). The signer must answer at least 4 of 5 correctly within 2 minutes. No more than 2 attempts per 24-hour period.
• Visual Confirmation — the notary visually compares the signer's face to the verified ID during the live session

If any of the three pillars fails, the notary cannot proceed. The fallback is in-person mobile notarization.

2. Audio-Video Session — §117.265, F.S.

The notary and signer must be present in a real-time, two-way audio-video session. Both parties must be able to see and hear each other clearly throughout the session. The session must be conducted using a Florida-approved RON platform that meets §117.295 technology standards.

Florida requires the notary to be physically located within the state during the session. The signer can be located anywhere — but the document's acceptance may depend on the signer's location.

3. Digital Seal and Audit Trail — §117.245, F.S.

After signing, the notary applies an electronic seal that includes:

• The notary's printed name and commission information
• An electronic signature
• A tamper-evident certificate that breaks if the document is altered after sealing
• The notary's commission expiration date

The session recording — including video, audio, and the document — must be retained for at least 10 years. This is among the longest mandatory retention periods for RON in any U.S. state, and it provides robust fraud-resistance for high-stakes documents like real estate and powers of attorney.

What Makes Florida RON Different From Other States

• Earlier adoption — Florida authorized permanent RON before COVID-driven temporary measures. The legal framework is mature.
• Longer recording retention — 10 years vs. 5–7 in many other states
• Higher fee cap — $25 vs. $10–$25 in other states (the cap reflects platform and KBA costs)
• Specific authorization for two-witness documents — Florida explicitly authorizes RON for documents requiring witnesses, while some states are silent on the issue

Florida RON Acceptance — A Practical Note

While Florida RON documents are generally accepted in all 50 states, "generally" is the key word. The recipient — lender, county recorder, court, foreign consulate — controls acceptance. Best practice:

1. Confirm acceptance with the recipient before scheduling RON
2. For real estate, confirm the recording county accepts electronic recording (most do; some still don't)
3. For loans, confirm the lender authorizes RON for the specific loan type
4. For international use, plan for apostille processing through the Florida Secretary of State

Common Misconceptions About Florida RON

"RON is only for emergencies." — Wrong. RON is the default for most non-real-estate notarizations now in Florida. It's faster than mobile.

"Florida RON requires the signer to be in Florida." — Wrong. The notary must be in Florida. The signer can be anywhere — though document acceptance varies.

"RON is less secure than in-person." — Wrong. The KBA + credential analysis + audio-video + 10-year retention combination is more rigorous than typical in-person ID verification.

"You need special software." — Wrong. Most RON platforms run in a standard web browser. No app installation needed.