Last updated: October 2026. We update this post whenever the North Carolina Secretary of State shares news.
If you’ve tried to get something notarized online in North Carolina, you’ve probably found the same thing we hear every week: lots of questions and no clear answer. Here’s where things stand, in plain English, and what you can do today.
The short answer
North Carolina has passed a law allowing remote electronic notarization (REN), where you meet a commissioned North Carolina notary on live video. But it can’t start until the North Carolina Secretary of State licenses the first online notarization platform. As of October 2026, no launch date has been announced. Once platforms are licensed, notaries can register and online appointments can open.
Where things stand
- The law is in place. The Remote Electronic Notarization Act was passed in 2022, and the Secretary of State has been building the rules and the platform licensing process.
- Platform licensing is the last step. Notaries can’t register for online notarization until the Secretary of State begins licensing platforms (G.S. 10B-134.19).
- The temporary video rules were extended. A 2026 law (House Bill 517) keeps North Carolina’s temporary emergency video notarization rules in place until July 1, 2027, or until the first platform license is issued, whichever comes first.
What an online notarization will look like
- A state-licensed platform. Your session runs on a platform licensed by the North Carolina Secretary of State, not Zoom or FaceTime.
- Your photo ID is scanned. The platform checks that your government-issued ID is genuine.
- A few identity questions. They’re drawn from public records, so only you should know the answers.
- Your notary matches your face to your ID on live video, then watches you sign.
- Recorded and kept. The session is recorded and kept as North Carolina law requires, and your sealed document is delivered electronically.
You’ll be able to join from anywhere in the United States with a phone, tablet or computer that has a camera. See every step.
What won’t be done online
Some documents still have to be signed on paper, in person: wills, codicils, trusts and vehicle titles among them. Health care powers of attorney and living wills also need two qualified witnesses. See what must be signed in person.
Need something notarized before then?
You don’t have to wait. Our commissioned North Carolina notaries see clients in person in the Charlotte area by appointment, with evenings and Saturdays available. We review your document before you pay, so there are no surprises. Book an appointment.
Get told the day it opens
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Questions we hear a lot
Is online notarization legal in North Carolina?
Yes. The law allows it, but it has to be done by a North Carolina notary registered for REN, on a platform licensed by the Secretary of State. That’s why it hasn’t started yet.
Will it cost more than in person?
North Carolina sets the maximum fee for online notarization at $25 per notarized signature. In-person paper notarization is $10 per signature.
Can my parent and I sign from different places?
Often, yes, when the document allows online notarization. Each signer joins from where they are in the U.S., and each one goes through the identity steps.