Remote online notarisation: better access through digital notarisation

Remote online notarisation (RON) is changing access to legal services in Europe. Find out how digital notarisation via RON is breaking down barriers for people in rural areas, living abroad or with reduced mobility, and what opportunities this opens up for citizens and companies.

For a long time, access to a notary was not equally easy for everyone. People who live far away, live abroad or have reduced mobility often had to overcome major hurdles to use notarial services.

Remote online notarisation (RON), i.e. carrying out certifications and notarial deeds digitally via video, is changing exactly that. It makes notarial services independent of location, faster and, for many people, easily accessible for the first time.

Platforms like notarity show that RON already works smoothly in practice, including fast appointment booking and documents that can be used internationally.

What is remote online notarisation?

Remote online notarisation refers to notarial certifications or deeds that are carried out entirely digitally. The identity and legal capacity of the parties are verified online, and documents are signed electronically and notarised, all via a secure two-way audio and video connection.

In Europe in particular, the topic has developed rapidly in recent years:

• Germany: Since 1 August 2022, GmbH formations and certain register applications can be notarised entirely online. The legal basis is the Act Implementing the Digitalisation Directive (DiRUG). Under Section 78p DiRUG, the procedure is carried out via a secure video communication platform operated by the Federal Chamber of Notaries.
• Austria: Digital certifications and notarial deeds have been legally possible since 2020, having originally been introduced as part of the COVID-19 legislation. Section 90a NO turned this into a permanent solution that enables citizens and companies to complete notarial acts entirely online.
• Estonia: The Baltic country is regarded as a European pioneer. Since 2007, Estonia has operated a fully integrated e-Notary system, which has also enabled remote authentication since 2020. As early as the first quarter of 2021, 91% of all notarial acts by e-residency holders were carried out digitally, evidence of high acceptance and practicality.

These developments show that Europe is in the middle of a profound transformation of the notarial system. Digital procedures make it possible to use notarial services independently of location, efficiently and without barriers, and thereby significantly improve access to justice.

Access to justice: a central element of the rule of law

According to the Council of Europe and Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, “access to justice” means being able to assert rights effectively and use legal services without disproportionate hurdles.

In many legal systems, going to a notary is mandatory, for example for company formations, property transactions or certain powers of attorney. Without access to these services, citizens are often unable to exercise their rights, or can only do so with difficulty.

Access for people in rural areas

In many European countries, notarial infrastructure is heavily concentrated in cities. In rural areas, the nearest notary’s office can often be several hours away.

Digital procedures close gaps in provision

Research shows that structurally weak regions often have fewer legal services: a report by the Urban Institute (2023), for example, shows that the density of notaries in rural areas is significantly lower than in cities.

Remote online notarisation offers an important solution here:

• Citizens can use notarial services directly from home.
• Access to important legal acts no longer depends on where you live.
• Companies can handle formations or powers of attorney from anywhere.

Germany: the Digitalisation Directive improves accessibility

When the DiRUG came into force on 1 August 2022, Germany created a legal basis for online notarisation for the first time. The first online GmbH formation took place on the same day. The Federal Chamber of Notaries operates the video communication system required and has been continuously expanding the service ever since.

Austria: a permanent legal basis since 2020

Austria created a legal framework for digital notarial services back in 2020 with Section 90a NO. The special rule, originally introduced because of the pandemic, is now a permanent solution. Companies can handle formations, powers of attorney and shareholder resolutions entirely digitally.

According to an analysis by KPMG, this has made access to notarial services easier, especially for small and medium-sized companies.

European perspective: digital procedures against inequality

In its 2022 Justice Barometer, the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) emphasises that digital notarial services can play “a central role in reducing regional inequalities in access to justice”, especially in structurally weak regions.

Access for people living abroad

For people living abroad and expats, notarisation has often meant travelling, embassy appointments or high costs.

Digital procedures are fundamentally changing this:

• Company formations or powers of attorney can be handled directly online.
• Estonia, for example, even offers remote notarial services via its embassies abroad (e-Notary Service).
• In Germany and Austria, too, citizens can now complete many notarial processes digitally, regardless of where they live.

Access for people with reduced mobility

For people with physical disabilities or chronic illnesses, getting to a notary’s office can be a major hurdle. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1.3 billion people (16%) worldwide live with a disability.

Remote notarisation can make a decisive difference here:

• The entire process can take place from home or a care facility.
• Digital identity checks and electronic signatures can be designed to be accessible.
• Assistive technologies enable people with limited motor skills or impaired vision to take an active part.

Remote notarisation therefore also contributes to implementing Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for equal access to justice.

Conclusion: remote notarisation strengthens access to justice

Remote online notarisation is more than a technical advance: it is an instrument for democratising access to legal services.

Whether in rural areas, abroad or for people with reduced mobility, digital notarisation makes legal transactions simpler, more inclusive and less dependent on location. It reduces costs, saves time and enables more people than ever before to exercise their rights effectively.

Remote notarisation therefore makes an important contribution to a modern, accessible and fair legal system, and brings us a big step closer to the vision of a digital state governed by the rule of law.

With platforms such as notarity, this vision is already becoming reality. Whether for company formations, powers of attorney, property matters or international documents, remote online notarisation makes the rule of law more modern, efficient and inclusive.