Published 2026-09-30 · 8 min read

Notarize (Proof) Review 2026: Online Notarization for Landlords, Available 24/7

Every landlord eventually hits the notarization problem. A tenant is relocating from another state and needs to sign before they arrive. A power of attorney has to be executed while you're traveling. An affidavit for an eviction filing is due tomorrow and every notary near you closes at 5 PM. The document is important, the timing is bad, and the nearest UPS Store with a notary on duty feels like a quest.

Notarize — now the flagship service of the company Proof (proof.com) — is the original online notarization platform: you upload a document, verify your identity, and connect with a commissioned notary over live video, any time of day or night. Here's the honest review, with verified pricing and a fair look at the main alternative.

What Notarize (Proof) actually is

A quick naming note, because it confuses everyone: the company formerly known as Notarize rebranded to Proof in 2023. "Notarize" is now the name of the online notarization service offered by Proof, and it runs on proof.com as well as notarize.com. When you sign up, you create a Proof account; the notary session itself is delivered by the Notarize Network℠, Proof's network of commissioned notaries.

The core product is remote online notarization (RON): a legally valid notarization performed over a live video call instead of across a desk. You upload your document as a PDF or Word file (or scan a paper copy with your phone), prove your identity with knowledge-based questions plus a photo of your unexpired ID, and meet a notary on video. The notary witnesses your signature, applies their electronic seal, and the completed document is available to download or send immediately.

Notaries on the network are typically available within seconds of your request, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — including nights, weekends, and holidays. A document notarized online is as legally valid as one notarized in person: online notarizations are valid and enforceable in every state, with validity determined by the law of the notary's commissioning state (the network's notaries are commissioned in states including Virginia, Nevada, Florida, and Texas).

Try it now: Get a document notarized online with Notarize — upload your document and connect with a notary in minutes, any time of day.

Key number: $25. A single notarization with one notary seal costs $25 — that's the headline price from Proof's official help center, and it's what most one-off landlord documents will cost.

How it works: six steps, under 15 minutes

Proof publishes a straightforward flow, and sessions average under 10–15 minutes door to door:

1. Upload or scan your document. Upload the full document (not just the signature page) as a PDF or DOCX. Only have paper? Scan it with your phone.

2. Create a Proof account. Your documents and transaction details live in your account, where you can also start future notarizations.

3. Check your setup. You'll need a Wi-Fi-enabled device with a camera — phone, tablet, or computer all work.

4. Verify your identity. Answer a few knowledge-based questions about your past and take a photo of your unexpired ID. Note: this process uses a U.S. Social Security number for secure identity verification, so it works best for U.S.-based signers.

5. Connect with a notary on video. Notaries are available 24/7 and typically connect within seconds. Multiple signers can join together on one device, on separate devices, or in separate meetings.

6. Download or send the completed document. It's available in your Proof account immediately, ready to share.

That identity-verification step is worth understanding, because it's both the strength and the main friction point. The knowledge-based authentication (questions about your credit history, past addresses, and similar) plus ID scan is more rigorous than a visual ID glance at a UPS counter — and it produces a timestamped video recording and digital log as an audit trail. But it also means signers without a U.S. credit footprint or a valid photo ID may not clear verification, in which case you'll need a different route.

Pricing: verified, pay-per-use

Pricing comes from Proof's official help center (last updated mid-September 2026), so these are current numbers, not estimates:

A few honest pricing notes:

• Most landlord documents need one seal. A single-document notarization is $25, full stop. The extra line items matter when you have multiple signers (a lease with two tenants, say) or need a witness supplied by the platform.
• If someone sent you the document, pricing may differ. When an organization (a title company, a lender) initiates the transaction, their agreement with Proof can change who pays and how much — ask them directly.
• Business plans exist but are quoted. Proof offers business tiers (including real estate and title workflows) with varied pricing — you'll need to contact them for a quote. This review covers the individual pay-per-use pricing above, which is what most landlords will use.
• There is no subscription for individuals. You pay per session. If you notarize three documents a year, you pay for three sessions.

Key number: 24/7. The Notarize Network is available around the clock — nights, weekends, holidays — which is the entire reason to use it instead of driving to a notary.

Landlord use cases: when online notarization actually helps

An honest caveat first: most residential leases do not legally require notarization. In nearly every state, a signed lease is enforceable without a notary stamp — what matters is a solid, state-compliant lease. If you don't have one yet, start with our best online lease agreements for landlords or lease agreement templates before worrying about notarization.

Where online notarization genuinely earns its keep for landlords:

• Remote lease signings. Your tenant is moving from another state and you want the lease executed before move-in day. A notarized lease isn't required, but for high-value or unusual situations (a large upfront payment, a rent-to-own arrangement — see our lease-option guide), the extra formality can be worth $25.
• Powers of attorney. Authorizing a property manager, family member, or attorney to act on your behalf — signing leases, handling a closing — while you're traveling or deployed. POAs are among the most commonly notarized documents, and they're ideal for RON because the signer is often the one who can't show up in person.
• Affidavits and sworn statements. Eviction filings, insurance claims, and move-out disputes sometimes need a sworn statement. If you're working through a lease termination that's heading toward court, a notarized affidavit carries more weight than an unsworn one.
• Guarantor and cosigner documents. When a guarantor lives in another state, getting their signature notarized in person is a logistical headache — see our guarantor and cosigner guide. A video session solves it.
• Out-of-state closings and refinances. Buying, selling, or refinancing a rental property often involves notarized deeds, affidavits, and loan documents. Title companies increasingly run these through online notarization platforms, and landlords doing remote closings can join the same way.

Key number: ~2 seconds. That's how fast Proof says notaries typically connect once you request a session — the "urgent document at 11 PM" scenario is exactly what the platform is built for.

The fine print and limitations

• Not every document can be notarized online. Birth certificates, death certificates, some court documents, and certain federal forms (like I-9 employment verification) often require in-person notarization or special procedures depending on state law. Always check with the party receiving the document first.
• The receiving party has to accept it. A notarization that's legally valid can still be rejected by a bank, court clerk, or agency with its own policies. Confirm acceptance before you pay for the session.
• Identity verification can fail. The KBA questions draw on U.S. credit and public records. Signers with thin files — recent immigrants, young adults, anyone without a U.S. SSN — may not pass, and there's no override. Have a backup plan.
• Pricing is per seal, not per document. A document needing two separate notarizations (two seals) is $40, not $25. Most landlord documents need one, but read your document before assuming.
• It's notarization, not legal advice. The notary verifies identity and witnesses signatures; they don't review your lease for legal problems. For document review, use a proper lease or legal document service instead.

Notarize vs. BlueNotary vs. in-person: the honest comparison

The site also promotes BlueNotary, another 24/7 online notarization platform — and both are affiliate partners here, so here's a straight comparison with no thumb on the scale:

The fair read: for a landlord notarizing a POA or affidavit at 10 PM, Notarize and BlueNotary are functionally interchangeable — same $25 entry price, same 24/7 availability, same legal validity. Notarize has the larger, longer-running network and the deeper business/title integrations; BlueNotary leans harder into security posture (biometric checks, SOC 2/HIPAA compliance) and real estate eClosings. Pick whichever interface you prefer. The in-person notary remains the right answer only when the document or the receiving party specifically requires physical presence — or when your signer can't pass online identity verification.

Who Notarize is best for

• Landlords with remote signers — out-of-state tenants, guarantors, or co-owners who can't meet a notary in person
• Anyone with a deadline outside business hours — affidavits, POAs, and closing documents that can't wait until morning
• Investors closing or refinancing remotely — title workflows increasingly run through platforms like this
• Landlords who value an audit trail — the video recording and digital log beat a paper journal entry if a signature is ever disputed

Who should skip it

• Landlords whose documents must be notarized in person by law or by the receiving party's policy — check first, not after
• Signers without a U.S. SSN or valid photo ID who are unlikely to pass knowledge-based identity verification
• Anyone who just needs a simple signature witnessed for free — a bank branch or UPS Store notary handles routine documents at low or no cost during business hours
• Landlords who never notarize anything — most leases don't need it, and there's no reason to pay for formality you don't need

The bottom line

Notarize (Proof) does one thing and does it well: it makes notarization available at 2 AM with the same legal validity as a 2 PM appointment at a law office. The $25 pay-per-use pricing is transparent and verified, the process takes under 15 minutes, and the 24/7 network is the entire point — this is a deadline-and-distance tool, not an everyday one. It won't replace your lease templates or your legal advice, and it can't notarize documents that require in-person appearance. But the next time a power of attorney, affidavit, or remote closing document needs a seal tonight rather than next week, it's the fastest legitimate way to get it done. Start your Notarize session here.

See also: Best Online Lease Agreements for Landlords, Lease Agreement Templates, Guarantor and Cosigner Guide, Tenant Breaking Lease: Early Termination Guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is a document notarized online legally valid?

Yes. Online notarization is just another method of performing a notarization — a document notarized online carries the same legal validity as one notarized with pen and paper. Online notarizations are valid and enforceable in every state, with validity determined by applying the law of the notary's commissioning state. Every state recognizes properly performed notarizations from other states. The practical caveat: confirm the receiving party (bank, court, agency) accepts online notarizations before you pay for the session.

How much does Notarize cost?

Per Proof's official pricing, a single notarization with one notary seal costs $25. Each additional seal is $15, an on-demand witness is $15, and each additional signer is $10. Most individual documents need one seal, so $25 is the all-in price for the typical use case. There is no subscription for individuals — you pay per session. Business plans with different pricing exist; contact Proof for a quote.

What documents can't be notarized online?

It depends on state law and the document type. Birth certificates, death certificates, and some court documents commonly require in-person notarization, and certain federal forms have their own procedures. The safe move is to check both your state's remote-notarization rules and the receiving party's requirements before starting a session.

Does my lease actually need to be notarized?

Almost certainly not. In nearly every state, a residential lease is fully enforceable with signatures alone — notarization isn't a legal requirement. Landlords typically use online notarization for higher-stakes documents: powers of attorney, affidavits, guarantor agreements with remote signers, and closing or refinance paperwork. Don't pay $25 to notarize a standard lease unless you have a specific reason.

What's the difference between Notarize and BlueNotary?

Both are 24/7 online notarization platforms charging $25 for a standard single-document session, and both produce legally valid notarizations. Notarize (Proof) operates the larger, longer-established notary network with deeper business and title-company integrations. BlueNotary emphasizes security credentials (biometric ID verification, SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance) and real estate eClosings. For a typical one-off landlord notarization, either works — this site promotes both, and the choice comes down to interface preference.