RULONA stands for the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. Pennsylvania’s version establishes the legal framework for notarial acts and notary commissions in the Commonwealth. It addresses matters such as identifying signers, notarial certificates, official stamps, journals, and notary responsibilities.

For Pennsylvania notaries, RULONA is more than a legal acronym. It is the framework behind the steps you take before, during, and after a notarial act—from determining whether a signer has appeared before you to completing the certificate and making the appropriate journal entry.

RULONA is found in Title 57 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Chapter 3. Pennsylvania notaries should also follow current regulations and guidance issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State. Requirements can change, so always confirm the current law and guidance before handling an unfamiliar transaction.

Important: This article provides general educational information, not legal advice. When a situation is transaction-specific, unusual, or unclear, do not guess. Consult current official guidance and obtain appropriate assistance.

RULONA at a glance

Topic	Practical meaning for a Pennsylvania notary	Official source
Notarial acts	A notary must be authorized to perform the requested act and follow the requirements that apply to it.	57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3
Personal appearance and identification	Before performing a notarial act, a notary must be satisfied that the individual appearing before them is the person named in the record.	57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3
Notarial certificates	The certificate must contain the information and wording required for the notarial act performed.	57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3
Official stamp	A Pennsylvania notary uses an official stamp that meets Commonwealth requirements.	57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3
Journal	A notary maintains a journal of notarial acts as required by Pennsylvania law and applicable rules.	57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3
Remote notarization	A commissioned notary must meet Pennsylvania’s current remote-notarization requirements before performing remote online notarizations.	PA Department of State: Electronic or Remote Notarization

Who does Pennsylvania’s RULONA apply to?

Pennsylvania’s RULONA applies to notarial officers performing notarial acts in the Commonwealth, including commissioned Pennsylvania notaries public. The law establishes the authority, duties, standards, and limitations connected to notarial acts.

In practical terms, RULONA matters whether you are:

• A newly commissioned Pennsylvania notary
• A notary renewing a commission
• A mobile notary meeting customers at their location
• A signing agent completing notarial acts as part of a loan-signing appointment
• A notary interested in electronic or remote notarization
• An employer or business owner responsible for notary operations

Your commission authorizes you to perform notarial acts within the scope of Pennsylvania law. It does not give you authority to provide legal advice, select a notarial act for a customer, prepare legal documents unless otherwise authorized, or perform services regulated separately by another government agency.

What does RULONA mean for everyday notarizations?

Everyday compliance starts before a notary applies a stamp or signature. RULONA helps establish the process a notary follows when performing a notarial act.

Legal requirements generally include: confirming that the requested act is one you are authorized to perform; ensuring the signer’s required appearance; identifying the individual using the methods permitted by law; completing the appropriate certificate; applying the official stamp as required; and recording the act in your journal.

The notary’s role is not to decide what a document means or tell a customer which notarial act they need. If the document, certificate, signer’s identity, willingness, awareness, or circumstances raise a concern, pause before proceeding.

PAN recommended practice: Use a consistent pre-notarization routine. Review the document for completeness, confirm the required notarial act has been identified by the document or the person receiving it, verify the signer’s appearance and identity, complete the certificate carefully, and make the journal entry promptly.

For a broader overview, see PAN’s Guide to Pennsylvania Notary Responsibilities.

What should Pennsylvania notaries know about identification and journals?

Identity screening and journalkeeping are two of the most important safeguards in a notary’s work.

Identification

Legal requirement: Before performing a notarial act, a Pennsylvania notary must have a basis permitted by law to be satisfied that the individual appearing before the notary is the person named in the record. Depending on the situation, this may involve personal knowledge of the individual or satisfactory evidence of identity.

A photo ID is not simply a box to check. A notary should review the identification presented and determine whether it supports the identity determination required for the act. If the identification is questionable, inconsistent, expired where current rules require otherwise, or does not reasonably establish identity, the notary should not improvise a workaround.

PAN recommended practice: Build in enough appointment time to review identification carefully. Never photograph, post, or discuss a customer’s identification on social media or in public forums.

Journals

Legal requirement: Pennsylvania law requires notaries to maintain a journal of notarial acts. A journal serves as an important record of the notarial act and can help demonstrate what occurred if questions arise later.

The journal is not a general customer-service log, business diary, or list of every task performed during an appointment. It is a record of notarial acts.

PAN recently addressed this distinction in Your Notary Journal Is for Notarial Acts — Not Everything You Do. Review that article for a practical discussion of what belongs in a journal and why careful entries matter.

PAN recommended practice: Make the journal entry as part of the notarial process, protect the journal by keeping it in a secure location, and retain it in accordance with current Pennsylvania requirements.

How does Pennsylvania law address remote notarization?

Pennsylvania permits electronic and remote notarization under conditions established by law and Department of State guidance. A remote online notarization, often called RON, is not simply a video call and electronic signature.

Legal requirement: A notary who wants to perform remote online notarizations must first meet Pennsylvania’s current eligibility, registration, technology, identity-proofing, recordkeeping, and other applicable requirements. The Department of State explains that remote online notarization uses audio-visual communication technology to satisfy the personal-appearance requirement when the parties are not in the same physical location.

A commissioned notary should not begin offering RON services merely because they have videoconferencing software, an electronic seal, or access to a digital-document platform. Confirm current Department of State requirements, including any approved-technology or provider requirements, before advertising or performing remote notarial acts.

PAN recommended practice: Treat RON as a distinct workflow. Obtain appropriate education, test your process before serving customers, and use written procedures for identity verification, audiovisual records, electronic journals, document retention, and customer privacy.

Read the Commonwealth’s current Electronic or Remote Notarization guidance before taking your first remote-notarization assignment.

Does a notary commission authorize PennDOT agent services?

No. A Pennsylvania notary commission does not, by itself, authorize a person or business to provide PennDOT agent services.

Notarial authority and PennDOT authorization are separate. A commissioned notary may notarize documents when the requirements for a notarial act are met. However, businesses that perform certain PennDOT title, registration, and plate-related services must meet PennDOT’s separate authorization or contract requirements.

PennDOT describes authorized agents as businesses able to complete limited titling and registration applications. The authority of a card agent and a full agent differs, including the services each may provide.

PAN recommended practice: If your business provides or plans to provide motor vehicle paperwork services, identify the PennDOT authorization level required for your intended services before accepting transactions or advertising capabilities. Keep notarial and PennDOT-agent procedures distinct in your training and customer communications.

Learn more through PennDOT’s Authorized Agents and Messengers information.

Where can I find Pennsylvania notary training and ongoing help?

Pennsylvania notaries have an ongoing responsibility to stay current—not only at the time of appointment or renewal, but whenever laws, procedures, forms, or technology change.

PAN provides Pennsylvania-focused education and support for notaries at different stages of their careers. Whether you are preparing to become a notary, renewing your commission, building a mobile notary business, considering remote notarization, or working with motor vehicle paperwork, practical training can help you work more confidently.

Explore PAN’s notary education options, learn how PAN can help you become a Pennsylvania notary, or review the benefits of PAN membership. Members can also contact PAN’s customer service team with general notarial and motor vehicle paperwork questions.

The bottom line

RULONA is the legal foundation for notarial acts in Pennsylvania. It guides the responsibilities that protect signers, documents, and notaries themselves: proper appearance and identification, accurate certificates, compliant stamps, appropriate journalkeeping, and careful adherence to the limits of a notary’s authority.

When in doubt, pause, verify the current requirement, and seek reliable Pennsylvania-specific guidance before completing the act.