Notary onboarding

Production RON stays locked until the notary and state are verified.

Every notary gets a state-specific onboarding file. The common packet is mostly the same nationwide; the state rules decide which items are mandatory and whether SealBook must be approved/listed first.

View state readinessDocument packet
Notary + State gate
Commissionverified
RON authoritypending
Digital certrequired
Productionlocked
Prepare these items

Standard RON onboarding packet

This is what a notary should gather before asking SealBook to enable production RON. State-specific requirements are layered on top.

Commission proof

Active notary commission certificate or state record; commission number, name, state, and expiration.

RON/e-notary authorization

State approval, registration, notification receipt, or written no-approval memo for the notary commission state.

Identity/KYC

Government ID and account verification for the notary using SealBook.

Digital certificate

Issuer, subject, serial number, expiration date, and certificate binding to the notary account.

Electronic seal/stamp

Seal image/text matching state rules, commission details, and expiration handling.

Bond and E&O

Bond and errors-and-omissions insurance evidence where required by the state or SealBook policy.

Training/exam

State-required RON/e-notary training or exam completion certificate where applicable.

Provider selection

Proof the notary selected SealBook or intends to use SealBook where the state requires provider disclosure.

Compliance agreements

SealBook terms, privacy/biometric consent, retention acknowledgement, and platform rules.

Test ceremony

Pilot ceremony validating identity proofing, camera/mic, certificate/seal, recording, journal binding, and export.

Product workflow

How SealBook should enforce onboarding

Create notary-state profile. The notary selects commission state; SealBook creates a disabled production RON profile for that state.
Upload documents. Notary uploads commission proof, RON authorization, seal, certificate, bond/E&O/training if required, and signs platform terms.
Compliance review. SealBook reviewer verifies documents, records source links, expiration dates, and notes whether vendor approval is complete in that state.
Run test ceremony. Camera/mic, identity proofing, credential analysis, certificate/seal, PDF signing, A/V recording, journal entry, and export package are tested.
Enable production. Only if state status is ready, SealBook provider status is approved/compliant, notary docs are verified, and identity provider is production-ready.
Monitor renewals. Auto-suspend before commission, RON authority, certificate, bond, E&O, or training expires.
State examples

First states: what notaries should expect

StateNotary actionSealBook action
VirginiaHold VA commission, apply as electronic notary, maintain electronic seal/certificate, follow VA retention and certificate rules.Build VA conformity packet; verify e-notary registration and 5-year record retention before enabling.
MarylandSubmit remote notary notification online, select authorized RON vendor, renew notification with commission renewal.Obtain/confirm authorized vendor status before Maryland notaries can select SealBook for production RON.
District of ColumbiaIn-person e-notary may be available, but remote notarization is not currently implemented.Keep DC production RON blocked; monitor official FAQ/rules.
West VirginiaHold WV commission, select valid technology, submit e-Notarization Authorization Form N-2, notify SOS on technology change.Confirm remote-use compliance and request technology review/listing before production.
PennsylvaniaApply/notify through PA electronic/remote notary program and identify approved technology.Apply for PA provider approval/listing before Pennsylvania notaries can select SealBook.