Searches for "online notary Massachusetts" have grown every year, and many websites now say remote online notarization (RON) is "legal in Massachusetts". That is only half the story. The law authorizing it exists, but Massachusetts-commissioned notaries are still not permitted to perform it. This guide explains where things stand in October 2026 and what signers can do in the meantime.
Current status at a glance (October 2026)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a Massachusetts RON law? | Yes. Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023 added remote notarization to M.G.L. c. 222. |
| Can a Massachusetts notary perform RON today? | No. The Secretary of the Commonwealth says the required training and notification form are not yet available and notaries should not use remote online platforms. |
| Have RON regulations been issued? | Not as of this writing. The Secretary has said draft rules will be published for public comment. |
| Does COVID-era video notarization still work? | No. That temporary authority was repealed effective March 31, 2023. |
Because this can change, always check the Secretary's Remote Online Notarization page for the current status before relying on any article, including this one.
The law: Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023 and c. 222 § 28
Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, a supplemental budget approved in March 2023, made broad changes to Massachusetts notary law. Among other things it:
- Added remote-notarization definitions to § 1, such as communication technology, identity proofing and credential analysis.
- Allowed electronic seals and electronic journals.
- Created a disclosed technology services fee in § 16.
- Added § 27 (tamper-evident technology), § 28 (remote notarization) and § 29 (limits on using personal data collected during remote sessions).
- Added c. 221 § 46E, which reserves core residential closing tasks to Massachusetts attorneys.
The RON provisions generally took effect January 1, 2024, but the statute depends on the Secretary first setting up registration, standards and approved providers.
Why it isn't live yet: training, registration and regulations
Section 28 requires a notary, before the first remote notarization, to register with the Secretary, state an intent to perform remote acts, identify the technology being used and provide proof of any required training. Notaries must use communication technology and identity-proofing providers from a registry the Secretary maintains.
None of that infrastructure is in place yet. According to the Secretary's page, the office issued a request for information to RON platform vendors (responses were due April 16, 2024), is reviewing them, and will publish draft rules for public comment. It is also working with the Governor's office on the notification form. No launch date has been announced.
What happened to COVID-era virtual notarization
In 2020 the Legislature temporarily allowed notarization by video conference. That authority was extended several times and then repealed effective March 31, 2023. A December 2023 Land Court memorandum instructs the Land Court's registration districts not to accept documents virtually notarized on or after that date. Any notarization since then must be done with the signer physically in front of the notary.
Requirements once RON launches (identity proofing, recording, 10-year retention)
When registration opens, § 28 sets out how a Massachusetts remote notarization must work:
- Notary location: the notary must be physically in Massachusetts. Signers may be elsewhere; signers outside the United States are covered only in limited situations, such as documents for a U.S. court or agency or involving U.S. property, and only if the foreign country does not prohibit it.
- Identity: personal knowledge, a credible witness the notary personally knows, or at least two different identity-proofing processes or services, including credential analysis of the ID.
- One live session: the act must be completed in a single real-time session.
- Recording: the session must be recorded on audio and video and kept for 10 years.
- Training: the Secretary may require a course of up to three hours.
- Providers: technology providers must carry at least $250,000 in errors and omissions coverage.
- Certificate: must state that the act was performed remotely using communication technology, with venue in the Massachusetts county where the notary was located.
Documents that can never be notarized remotely
Even after RON launches, § 28 excludes:
- Records relating to the electoral process, and
- Wills, codicils and documents that purport to be a will or codicil.
These must be handled in person.
Remote real estate closings and attorney requirements
Massachusetts treats residential closings differently. Under c. 221 § 46E, only a Massachusetts-licensed attorney may direct a closing of a mortgage or title transfer on a one-to-four family home, certify title or manage disbursement. For remote residential closings, § 28 adds that the closing attorney engages the technology with the lender's approval and enters their Board of Bar Overseers number, and that remote acts may be performed only by an attorney-notary or a non-attorney notary acting under the closing attorney's direct supervision or request. See our real estate notarization guide.
Using an out-of-state online notary: acceptance risks
Some Massachusetts residents use online notaries commissioned in states where RON is already running. Whether that works depends on the person or office receiving the document. Before you pay for an online session:
- Ask the recipient (bank, court, registry, employer or foreign authority) whether it will accept a remotely notarized document from another state.
- If the document is going abroad, the apostille must come from the notary's commissioning state; the Massachusetts Secretary authenticates only Massachusetts officials. See our apostille guide.
- For Massachusetts real estate, involve the closing attorney before anything is signed.
Land Court and registered land
Registered land (land registered through the Land Court system) has its own rules. The Land Court's December 2023 memo tells registry districts not to accept remotely notarized documents for registered land until the court issues further instructions, which it planned to do after the Secretary sets up the RON process. If your property is registered land, ask your attorney or the registry before choosing any remote option.
Until RON is live, the reliable path is an in-person notary. A mobile notary can come to your home, office or hospital room. Search our notary directory or start with notaries in Boston.
FAQ
Is online notarization legal in Massachusetts?
The law authorizing remote notarization exists (c. 222 § 28), but as of October 2026 the Secretary of the Commonwealth says Massachusetts notaries should not use remote online platforms because training and registration are not yet available. Check the Secretary's RON page for the current status.
Can I use a notary from another state online for a Massachusetts document?
Possibly, if the notary's own state allows it, but acceptance is up to whoever receives the document. Confirm with the recipient first, and be especially careful with real estate and registered land.
Can a will be notarized online in Massachusetts?
No. Section 28 excludes wills and codicils from remote notarization, even once RON launches.
Are documents notarized by video during COVID still valid?
Documents notarized under the temporary laws while they were in effect are governed by those laws. Virtual notarizations performed on or after March 31, 2023 are not authorized, and the Land Court has told its registration districts not to accept them.
This guide from Boston Notary Co., a privately operated directory and not a government agency, is general information, not legal advice; confirm current law and procedures with the official sources linked above.