How to get divorce papers notarized
What a notary does, where to find one, what to bring, and a state-by-state look at whether remote online notarization is available. Checked against official state sources on October 14, 2026.
Do your divorce papers need a notary?
It depends on your state, your court and the specific form. Divorce filings often include sworn statements, such as a financial affidavit or a verified petition. Some states ask for a notary, some accept an unsworn declaration made under penalty of perjury instead, and some let a court clerk administer the oath. Read the instructions printed on each form, and ask the court clerk if they are unclear. Your state’s divorce kit on The Cusp lists the forms and links to the court’s own instructions.
Do not sign before you meet the notary. A notary has to watch you sign, or have you confirm the signature in person, and will check your ID first. A document you signed in advance often has to be signed again.
Where to get something notarized
Your bank or credit union
Many offer notary service to customers, sometimes at no charge. Call ahead to check hours and whether an appointment is needed.
Shipping and office stores
Many have a notary on staff and charge the state’s allowed fee. Availability varies by location.
Mobile notaries
A notary who travels to you. This costs more, but it helps if you have mobility, work or childcare limits.
The court or a public office
Some courthouses, libraries and town offices can notarize or administer an oath. Ask the clerk before you sign anything.
Remote online notarization
Where your state allows it, you meet a notary by live video instead of in person. Whether your court accepts it is a separate question, so confirm with the clerk before you pay.
What to bring and what to expect
- A current, government-issued photo ID. Some states or notaries accept only certain types, so check ahead.
- The complete document, unsigned, with every blank filled in. A notary cannot notarize an incomplete document.
- Any witnesses the form requires. A notary is not automatically a witness.
- A fee. States set or cap what a notary may charge for each act. Ask for the price before the notary starts.
A notary is not a lawyer. A notary can confirm who you are and watch you sign. A notary cannot tell you which forms to use, explain your rights, or prepare divorce papers for you. In some communities, people called “notarios” have charged for legal help they are not allowed to give. If someone offers legal advice for a fee, ask whether they are a licensed attorney.
Remote online notarization, state by state
Remote online notarization (RON) lets a signer and a notary meet over live audio and video. States differ on whether it is allowed, how the notary must be authorized, and what documents it covers. Courts also set their own rules about what filings they will accept. The table covers whether the state authorizes remote notarization, not whether a particular divorce court accepts it. None of the official sources we reviewed addressed divorce filings specifically, so ask the clerk of the court where you are filing.
Showing all 50 states. 43 authorize remote online notarization, 1 allow a limited form, 4 do not, and 2 are unclear or not yet usable.
| State | Remote notarization | Law and official source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Authorized | Ala. Code § 36-20-73.1, as amended by Act 2023-548 Official source | The notary must be physically in Alabama. Two-way audio-video is required and the session is recorded and kept 7 years. |
| Alaska | Authorized | AS 44.50.075, as cited by the state notary office Official source | The notary must use a vendor from the state's list and get approval before the first remote act. |
| Arizona | Authorized | Arizona Administrative Rules and the Secretary of State's Notary Manual (statute citation not confirmed) Official source | The notary must be physically in Arizona. The Secretary of State lists technology vendors but does not endorse any. |
| Arkansas | Authorized | Act 1047 of 2021 Official source | The state names approved providers. General video apps such as Zoom and FaceTime do not qualify. |
| California | Not authorized | Secretary of State FAQ: a person must appear personally before a notary; a video image is not a personal appearance. SB 696 would allow remote notarization once the state's technology project is certified, or by January 1, 2030 at the latest. Official source | In-person and electronic notarization are allowed, but not remote online notarization. |
| Colorado | Authorized | C.R.S. Title 24, Art. 21, Part 5 (RULONA); 8 CCR 1505-11 Official source | The notary must be in Colorado. Wills and codicils are generally excluded. The state approves providers. |
| Connecticut | Limited | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-95b; Secretary of the State Notary Manual §§ 4.20-4.25 Official source | Limited form: the notary and signer meet by audio-video, but the paper document is signed in ink, not electronically. Wills, trusts, real estate closing documents, health care directives and powers of attorney are excluded. The notary must be in Connecticut. |
| Delaware | Authorized | Laws of Delaware vol. 83, ch. 425 Official source | The notary must use a provider on the state's approved list. The state's FAQ and provider page are not fully consistent, so confirm before relying on them. |
| Florida | Authorized | Fla. Stat. ch. 117, Part II (§§ 117.201-117.305) Official source | If the signer is outside Florida, the notary must confirm the signer wants a Florida notary and Florida law to apply. Extra witness rules apply to wills, certain trusts, health care directives and powers of attorney. |
| Georgia | Not authorized | No remote online notarization authorization found on the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority notary pages Official source | No remote online notarization law was found. A 2026 bill (HB 289) appears to have died, according to a third-party tracker; the official bill page could not be read. Confirm with the state notary division before relying on this. |
| Hawaii | Authorized | HRS § 456-23 (Act 54, SLH 2020) Official source | The notary must notify the Attorney General of the technology before the first remote act. The session recording must be kept at least 10 years. |
| Idaho | Authorized | Idaho Code § 51-114A; IDAPA 34.07.01 Official source | The notary records the software and vendor on the state authorization form. |
| Illinois | Authorized | 5 ILCS 312/2-102(b) (P.A. 104-0486); 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176 Official source | Confirmed through the Public Act and the Secretary of State's rules. The full statute text and any exclusions were not reviewed. |
| Indiana | Authorized | IC 33-42-17 Official source | The notary must use a state-approved vendor and be physically in Indiana. |
| Iowa | Authorized | Iowa Code § 9B.14A Official source | The notary must be in Iowa and use approved technology. Skype, Zoom and Facebook do not qualify. |
| Kansas | Authorized | K.S.A. 53-5a15 (effective January 1, 2022) Official source | The notary must be in Kansas and use a platform provider on file with the Secretary of State. |
| Kentucky | Authorized | KRS 423.455 (effective January 1, 2020) Official source | The notary must notify the Secretary of State of the technology before the first remote act. |
| Louisiana | Authorized | La. R.S. 35:625.1 (effective February 1, 2022) Official source | The Secretary of State keeps a list of registered remote notarization providers. |
| Maine | Authorized | 4 M.R.S. § 1915 Official source | Only state-approved providers may be used. Zoom and FaceTime are not allowed. |
| Maryland | Authorized | Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-214 Official source | The notary must be physically in Maryland. The state keeps a list of authorized vendors. |
| Massachusetts | Not yet usable | M.G.L. c. 222, § 28 Official source | The law authorizes remote notarization, but the Secretary's page says notaries should not use online platforms yet, and no final regulations were found. A Land Court guideline dated July 31, 2026 says the court is still waiting for them. |
| Michigan | Authorized | MCL 55.286b; state standards for electronic and remote notarization Official source | Only state-approved remote platforms may be used. The notarial act must take place in Michigan. |
| Minnesota | Authorized | Minn. Stat. § 358.645 Official source | The notary must be physically in Minnesota and keep a recording for at least 10 years. |
| Mississippi | Not authorized | Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-15 requires physical appearance; Secretary of State rules cover in-person electronic notarization only Official source | The current statute has no remote provisions. A 2025 bill (HB 1154) appears to have died in a Senate committee, according to a third-party tracker, and a 2020 emergency waiver was temporary. Check with the Secretary of State. |
| Missouri | Authorized | RSMo § 486.1115 and ch. 486 Official source | The Secretary of State certifies remote notarization software and keeps an approved vendor list. |
| Montana | Authorized | MCA § 1-5-610 et seq. Official source | The notary must be physically in Montana. Remote notarization of paper documents is limited to acknowledgments. |
| Nebraska | Authorized | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 64-401 to 64-420 Official source | Wills, codicils and testamentary trusts are excluded from the physical-presence substitution. |
| Nevada | Authorized | NRS ch. 240 (audio-video sections) Official source | The state regulator's page could not be read, so details were not confirmed from it. Check with the Secretary of State. |
| New Hampshire | Authorized | RSA 456-B:6-a (effective February 6, 2022) Official source | The notary must file a user form with the state first and keep a recording for 10 years. |
| New Jersey | Authorized | P.L. 2021, c. 179 Official source | The notary must be in New Jersey. Wills and codicils are excluded. |
| New Mexico | Authorized | RULONA, NMSA 1978 §§ 14-14A-1 to 14-14A-32; 12.9.4 NMAC Official source | The notary must be physically in New Mexico and use a provider on the state's approved list. |
| New York | Authorized | Executive Law § 135-c Official source | The notary must be in New York. Remote ink notarization ended January 31, 2023, and electronic notaries took over from February 1, 2023. |
| North Carolina | Unclear | N.C.G.S. ch. 10B, Art. 2, Part 4A Official source | The law requires a state-licensed platform, and no licensed platform appears on the Secretary of State's pages. Emergency video notarization is extended to July 1, 2027, or until the first platform license, with the notary and signer both in North Carolina. The state's older FAQ limits it to acknowledgments and oaths. Whether it covers divorce papers was not confirmed, and the state pages are undated. |
| North Dakota | Authorized | NDCC ch. 44-06.1 Official source | The notary must notify the Secretary of State before the first remote act. Recordings are kept 10 years. |
| Ohio | Authorized | R.C. 147.63; Ohio Admin. Code 111:6-1-05 Official source | The notary must be authorized by the Secretary of State, live in Ohio, and be physically in Ohio. The signer may be elsewhere. |
| Oklahoma | Authorized | Remote Online Notary Act, 49 O.S. §§ 49-201 to 49-214 Official source | The Secretary of State's pages could not be read, so vendor and technology rules were not confirmed. |
| Oregon | Authorized | ORS 194.277 Official source | The notary must be in Oregon and use a qualifying vendor. |
| Pennsylvania | Authorized | Act 97 of 2020, amending 57 Pa.C.S. ch. 3 Official source | The Department of State links a list of approved solution providers. The act's section numbers and exclusions were not confirmed. |
| Rhode Island | Authorized | R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-30.1-12.1 Official source | The state lists approved providers. FaceTime, Zoom and WebEx are not allowed. |
| South Carolina | Not authorized | S.C. Code § 26-2-50(A): the principal must appear in person before the electronic notary Official source | Electronic notarization is allowed, but the signer must still appear in person. |
| South Dakota | Authorized | SDCL 18-1-11.2 (2024 legislation) Official source | The notary must be in South Dakota. The state does not approve vendors; the notary names the platform to the Secretary of State. |
| Tennessee | Authorized | Online Notary Public Act, T.C.A. § 8-16-301 et seq. Official source | The notary contracts with a third-party vendor for identity proofing and recording storage. Section-level citations were not confirmed. |
| Texas | Authorized | Tex. Gov't Code ch. 406, subch. C; 1 T.A.C. 87 Official source | The notary must be in Texas. Wills, codicils and testamentary trusts cannot be notarized online by videoconference. |
| Utah | Authorized | Utah Code §§ 46-1-3.5, 46-1-3.6, as amended by SB 139 (2026) Official source | SB 139 took effect May 6, 2026 and adds identity authentication and recording retention rules. The current code text was not confirmed. |
| Vermont | Authorized | 26 V.S.A. ch. 103, §§ 5379-5380 Official source | The notary must be in Vermont. Providers must register with the Secretary of State. |
| Virginia | Authorized | Va. Code Title 47.1 Official source | Confirmed through the Secretary of the Commonwealth's notary handbook, not the full Code text. |
| Washington | Authorized | RCW 42.45.280 Official source | A recording is kept at least 10 years. An amended version takes effect January 1, 2027. |
| West Virginia | Authorized | W.Va. Code § 39-4-37 Official source | The statute authorizes remote notarization, but some Secretary of State pages still say the signer must be physically present. Confirm with the Secretary of State. |
| Wisconsin | Authorized | Wis. Stat. § 140.145; 2019 Wisconsin Act 125 Official source | Only providers approved under state standards may be used. The statute page could not be opened, so details come from the state agency page. |
| Wyoming | Authorized | W.S. 32-3-101 to 32-3-131 (effective July 1, 2021) Official source | Signers in Wyoming, elsewhere in the US or abroad are covered, with US-connection conditions for signers abroad. |
Laws and regulator pages change. Where an official page could not be read or conflicted with the statute, the note says so. Confirm with your state’s notary office and the court clerk before you rely on any row.