What Is the Difference Between a Mobile Notary and a Remote Online Notary?

A mobile notary public travels to you. A remote online notary (RON) meets you over a secure live video session, so you can sign from wherever you are.

Both are legal ways to get a document notarized, and both require the same thing at their core: a commissioned notary has to verify who you are and witness you signing. The difference is how you meet and what you need on your end.

Lori Dood Mobile Notary has been in business since August 2019, driving to clients across Polk, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties. In June 2025, we added Remote Online Notarization so we could serve clients anywhere in the world. Doing both every week has shown that the right choice usually has less to do with where you are and more to do with what’s most practical and convenient for you.

How Mobile Notarization Works

With a mobile notary, we come to your location at a time that works for you. That could be your home, your office, a hospital room, or an assisted living facility.

  • You tell us what type of document you need notarized and where you’ll be
  • We schedule a time, and travel to you
  • we check your valid, government-issued photo ID in person
  • You sign in front of the notary, and the notary completes the notarization on the spot.

You pay a travel fee for the convenience. For many clients, that fee is well worth it.

How Remote Online Notarization Works

With RON, we meet on a secure notarization platform over live audio and video. You upload your document, verify your identity, and sign electronically while the notarization is done in real time.

You’ll need:

  • A computer, tablet, or smartphone with a working camera and microphone
  • A reliable internet connection
  • Your original, valid driver’s license, state ID, or passport
  • The ability to answer a short set of identity verification questions

Once everyone is signed on, a RON session moves very quickly. There’s no travel fee and no need to leave where you are.

A Common ID Mistake to Avoid

Some clients think they can upload a photo of their ID they took earlier. That doesn’t work. The RON platform has to take its own picture of your original, physical driver’s license, passport, or state ID during the session. Have the actual card or passport in hand before we start.

When a Mobile Notary Is the Better Choice

When the Signer Can’t Use a Device

Some of my most meaningful appointments have been with clients in assisted living facilities or lying in a hospital bed with no way to get onto a device or the internet. RON simply wasn’t an option for them.

In those situations, we meet them in person, at a convientant location including their bedside if needed, check their ID, and walk them through the signing in person. For families handling important paperwork for a loved one, that visit takes a lot of stress off their shoulders.

When Technology Is More Frustrating Than Helpful

Not everyone wants to deal with apps, camera tests, or verification questions on a screen. If technology frustrates you and you’d rather not fool with it, a mobile notary is the easier path. You get a real person at your door who handles the process for you.

When Remote Online Notarization Is the Better Choice

When You’re Traveling or on Vacation

If you’re out of town and a document can’t wait, RON lets you get it notarized without cutting your trip short or hunting for a notary in an unfamiliar place.

When Signers Are in Different Places

RON really shines when several signers are spread out. We can notarize for signers in different cities, states, or even countries in the same session. Coordinating that in person would be difficult or impossible.

When You’re Short on Time

If you’re at work, you can notarize a document quickly on your break. There’s no scheduling around drive time, and once everyone is logged in, the session moves fast.

When the Signer Is Homebound but Comfortable With Technology

Being immobile doesn’t automatically mean you need a mobile notary. If you’re homebound but comfortable using a phone, tablet, or computer, RON can be a great fit.

Mobility Isn’t the Deciding Factor. Access and Convenience Are.

People often assume a mobile notary is for people who can’t get around and RON is for people who can. In real life, it doesn’t break down that way.

  • A client in a hospital bed with no device needs a mobile notary
  • A homebound client who’s comfortable on a tablet can use RON
  • A busy professional may prefer RON on a lunch break
  • A client who’s nervous about technology may prefer someone at their door, even if they could easily drive

The question isn’t “Can I get to a notary?” It’s “What’s the easiest, most comfortable way for me to get this done?”