How can a remotely located individual satisfy RULONA's personal-appearance requirement?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
Pennsylvania Notary Exam · E-Notary
Pennsylvania Notary Exam Practice Questions: Electronic and Remote Notarization (2026)
Pennsylvania lets a notary notarize electronic records and perform remote online notarizations for a remotely located individual, under 57 Pa.C.S. §§ 306.1 and 320. Before your first electronic or remote act you must notify the Department of State and identify the tamper-evident technology you will use. For remote notarization the notary must be physically located in Pennsylvania, and the audio-visual recording of the session must be kept for at least 10 years under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1(e).
Practice
Free practice questions
Where must the NOTARY be located when performing a remote notarization under Pennsylvania law?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
By which methods may a notary identify a remotely located individual?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
Besides identifying the person, what must the notary be able to identify during a remote notarization?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
What recording duty applies to every Pennsylvania remote notarization?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
A person located abroad wants a Pennsylvania remote notarization. Which records qualify?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
What additional legality condition applies when the remotely located individual is in a foreign country?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
How must the certificate reflect that an act was performed remotely?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
Which added statement makes a standard short form certificate sufficient for a remote notarization?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
Who is responsible for retaining the audio-visual recording of a remote notarization?
Based on: RULONA 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1: Remote notarization
Electronic vs remote, and registering your technology
These are two different things the exam keeps separate. Electronic notarization, defined in 4 Pa. Code § 167.2, is performing a notarial act on an electronic record using a tamper-evident technology; the signer can still be in the room. Remote notarization under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1 adds communication technology so a remotely located individual can appear by audio-video link. For either one you must register first: 57 Pa.C.S. § 320(b)(1) requires you to notify the department and identify each technology before your initial electronic act, and § 306.1(f)(1) requires the same notice before your initial remote act. The regulation 4 Pa. Code § 167.81 directs you to do this electronically at the state's notary site, and the technology provider itself must be approved under 4 Pa. Code § 167.83.
Where the notary sits, and the recording
A common exam trap is who may be remote. Under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1(b) it is the customer, the remotely located individual, who may be elsewhere: the notary must be physically located in Pennsylvania. To identify a remote signer, § 306.1(b)(1) allows personal knowledge, a credible witness, or at least two different identity-proofing processes. The session must be recorded, and the audio-visual recording must be retained for at least 10 years under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1(e)(2), echoed by 4 Pa. Code § 167.86(6), which sets the technology standards. That 10-year retention is one of the single most-tested facts on this part of the exam.
| Feature | Paper | Electronic | Remote (RON) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record type | Tangible | Electronic | Electronic |
| Signer present in person | Yes | Yes | No, appears by AV link |
| Register technology first | No | Yes, 57 Pa.C.S. § 320 | Yes, 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1(f) |
| Audio-visual recording | No | No | Yes, retain 10 years (§ 306.1(e)) |
| Where the notary must be | In Pennsylvania | In Pennsylvania | In Pennsylvania (§ 306.1(b)) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Pennsylvania allow remote online notarization?
Yes. Pennsylvania permits remote online notarization under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1, allowing a remotely located individual to appear before a notary by communication technology. The notary must first notify the Department of State and identify the technology, and must be physically located in Pennsylvania when performing the act.
How long must a Pennsylvania remote notarization recording be kept?
The audio-visual recording of a Pennsylvania remote notarization must be retained for at least 10 years under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1(e)(2), with the technology standards in 4 Pa. Code § 167.86 reinforcing the 10-year requirement. The notary keeps or downloads the recording, or arranges for the technology to retain it.
Where must a Pennsylvania notary be located for a remote notarization?
The notary must be physically located in Pennsylvania, under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1(b), which authorises a notary located in this Commonwealth to act for a remotely located individual. It is the customer who may be remote, not the notary; the notary cannot perform Pennsylvania acts from another state.
What must a Pennsylvania notary do before performing electronic notarizations?
Before the first electronic act, a Pennsylvania notary must notify the Department of State and identify each tamper-evident technology to be used, under 57 Pa.C.S. § 320(b)(1) and 4 Pa. Code § 167.81. The technology provider must itself be approved by the department under 4 Pa. Code § 167.83 before it may be offered.