What you need before the session
A power of attorney is one of the most commonly notarized documents in the country, and it is usually a clean fit for online notarization: one signer, one seal, and no original that has to live at a courthouse. The whole process — identity check, video session, sealed PDF — typically takes about 15 minutes.
Come with three things: the completed but unsigned document, a current government-issued photo ID, and a device with a camera and microphone. The notary needs to watch you sign, so bring the POA unsigned — signing happens on camera during the session.
One thing no platform can do: fill in the form, choose between a general and a durable POA, or tell you which powers to grant. SignSealShip is a technology platform, not a law firm — the document should be complete before you upload it, and questions about its contents belong with an attorney.
The online notarization, step by step
Here is the entire process, in the order it happens:
Upload the completed, unsigned POA
A PDF or a clear photo works. We prepare it for the session and flag anything that looks unfinished.
Verify your identity
About two minutes: a short knowledge-based quiz generated from public records, plus photos of the front and back of your government ID.
Meet the notary on a recorded video call
A state-commissioned notary confirms your identity, confirms you are signing willingly, and watches you sign electronically.
The notary applies the electronic seal
The sealed PDF and a Certificate of Completion are available to download immediately after the session ends.
Deliver it where it needs to go
Many recipients accept the PDF as-is. If someone wants paper, add print-and-mail or overnight the printed document — carrier rate plus a disclosed $14.95 handling fee.
Witnesses: settle this before you book
Notarization and witnessing are separate requirements. A handful of states require witnesses on a power of attorney in addition to the notary — Florida, for example, requires two witnesses on most POAs. The requirement follows your state's execution rules, and the receiving institution can add expectations of its own.
If your signature page shows witness lines, resolve the question before the session, not after. We can seat an on-demand witness in the same video session for $25, itemized on the receipt like everything else.
State rules that change the plan
Online notarization is live in 44 jurisdictions — 43 states plus Washington, D.C. — but a few states treat POAs differently. Wisconsin excludes estate-planning documents, including powers of attorney, from remote online notarization. South Carolina does not recognize remote online notarization at all, so we won't sell you one there.
If your state hasn't switched on its own RON law yet, you can generally still use a notary commissioned in another state — the same interstate-recognition principle that makes an out-of-state paper notarization valid. Check the exact status for your state on the state availability grid; every state page gives the straight answer, including when the answer is no.
Will the bank accept it?
A POA notarized under a state RON law has the same legal effect as one notarized in person. Acceptance is a separate, practical question: banks, brokerages, and title companies review POAs carefully however they were notarized, and some have internal policies about electronic seals. Five minutes on the phone with the receiving institution — "will you accept an electronically notarized power of attorney?" — is the cheapest insurance in this entire process.
Every notarization we arrange comes with evidence built for that conversation: a tamper-evident sealed PDF, a hash-linked audit trail, and a Certificate of Completion. And if the institution insists on paper, we can overnight the printed document wherever it needs to go.