Anyone who has sold real estate or obtained a mortgage in Florida has experienced the need to have a notary public acknowledge the execution of the deed or mortgage. For many, finding a qualified notary public can be inconvenient, time consuming or sometimes practically impossible (such as for those who reside and work outside of the country).

A bill recently signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis authorizes the use of remote online notarization in Florida, making it one of more than 20 states to allow signers and notaries to use audio and video communications to notarize signatures on documents when the law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2020.