One of the most frequent questions we get from expats and military personnel is: "If I use an online US notary while I am physically in Germany, is the document valid in the US?"
The Short Answer: Yes
Thanks to Remote Online Notarization (RON) laws, the physical location of the signer no longer matters, as long as the Notary Public is physically located in their commissioning state (like Florida) during the video call.
The Jurisdiction Rule
When you connect with a Florida online notary, the legal act of notarization is considered to have taken place in Florida, regardless of where your IP address or physical body is located. Therefore, the notarization is subject to Florida law and is recognized under the Full Faith and Credit Clause by all other US states.
When RON Cannot Be Used
While almost all documents can be notarized overseas via RON, there are rare exceptions. Some highly specific trusts or testamentary documents may still require physical ink signatures (wet signatures) depending on the receiving county's specific recording rules. Always ask your attorney or title company: "Do you accept e-signatures and Remote Online Notarization?" before booking.