5 Online Notary Platforms in Europe

Nowadays, the demand for secure and accessible notarization of documents has been increasing to reduce in-person visits and save effort. That’s when online notary platforms came up, where individuals and businesses could authenticate documents efficiently.

Online notary services can help notarize various documents, such as ownership and control declarations, cross-border transactions, and certification of educational records. This article will dive into what is most important about online notarization, the 5 best online notary platforms in Europe, and why they’re worth your attention and investment.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

A Quick Summary of Online Notarization

Online notarization involves publicly verifying a notary and authenticating documents remotely using video conferencing software, digital stamps, and electronic signatures. Typically, it connects you with certified notaries who permit verifying your identity, witnessing your signing, and applying a digital seal—all online and ensuring legal validity. This contributes to offering a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional methods.

Moreover, online notary services can level up your online notarization performance in:

• Convenience

There are no more travel or waiting rooms. Online notary services allow registrars to notarize every document legally from anywhere and anytime via an Internet connection. All you need to do is have documents available, have an account, and be a click away.

• Speed

While traditional notarization can take days, especially with scheduling and mailing, online notarization is effective in saving both your time and effort. You can get results in minutes, ideal for urgent contracts, legal deadlines, and last-minute documentation.

• Cost-Effectiveness

You often pay a monthly/ yearly subscription fee to experience full notarization services. This will reduce hidden expenses such as document transportation, printing, and courier services. Even some budget-friendly online notary solutions can help save more money.

However, be mindful of digital identity fraud when working with online notary services. Thus, it is crucial to select a proper, reliable partner that complies with local regulations. The next section will list the leading names in Europe for notarizing documents online.

5 Best Online Notary Platforms To Consider

1. Legitify

Legitify is an all-in-one online notary service tailored to Europe’s diverse legal landscape. It features a user-friendly dashboard and a clear online notarization process to start. Notably, Legitify specializes in cross-border notarization, which is trusted by leading global enterprises like Fuel Ventures, Avask, Sotheby’s International Realty, and Vance.

Outstanding services

• Authentication of corporate documents with anti-money laundering regulations;
• Legal attorney for real estate, corporate, and financial transactions;
• Authentication and apostilling of other documents;
• Legally binding e-signatures compliant (e.g., EU eIDAS)
• Safe online notarization with the most current security standards.
• Clear pricing plans for startups, SMEs, and enterprises.

2. PandaDoc

PandaDoc is primarily an e-signature and document management solution, with online notarization as an optional feature. Therefore, if you prefer working with the online notary option fundamentally, let’s consider PandaDoc first. This platform also offers a Virtual Data Room where users can effectively organize and share resources with stakeholders.

Outstanding services

• A broad range of types of e-signatures;
• Integrated agreement workflows that drive revenue;
• Real-time tracking for document management;
• 1000+ free templates to optimize document designs.

3. Notarity

Notarity stands out in offering German online notarization via video-based notarization, ensuring eIDAS-compliant signatures. It is clear that Notarity’s strength lies in its regional expertise, but its limited languages: German for the former and English for the latter. Consequently, some registers find it challenging to notarize cross-border documentation.

Outstanding services

• Tailor-to-B2B online notarization features;
• eIDA-compliant, legally binding signatures;
• Secure video online notarization with local notaries.

4. NotaryCam

Similar to Legitify, Notary Cam has adopted the current standards in security, including SSL encryption and Amazon’s Virtual Private Cloud. One of the notable things about this online notary service is the ability to deliver custom workflows based on enterprise size. However, you might suffer from communication issues and document incompatibility.

Outstanding services

•  A broad reach of 145+ countries in the world;
• High speed for online notarization;
• NotaryCam eClose360 for extensive features.

5. Docusign

Docusign is now one of the leading Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) solutions. Typically, it focuses on agreement workflows: eSignature, payments, identification, and document generation, and electronic notarization is only one of its additional features. However, Docusign still ensures a convenient, intuitive notarization experience for users.

Outstanding services

• Scalable workflows for large businesses;
• Customizable templates for document generation;
• Secure e-signature, identification, and online notarization;
• Numerous AI-powered tools and 24/7 customer support.

Tips and Tricks when Using Online Notary Services

Here are the best practices to kick off the best results with online notary solutions:

Get certified online notary services

Working with certified notaries is the priority in ensuring legal validity. For example, European businesses often look for a trusted-by-expert solution that is compliant with EU eIDAS and can support other international standards for cross-border handling.

Select a Proper Solution

If your primary need is online notarization, focus on this service first. Tailored solutions like Legitify allow you to maximize all available features without paying for unnecessary extras. Don’t forget to pick an online notary that works smoothly with your business size.

Follow-up Notarization Guidelines

Even after the notarization process, it’s essential to follow proper procedures. Each online notary platform demands distinctive steps; thus, keeping them correct is very important. If you have any problem with your notarization, it’s best to contact the customer team.

Conclusion

With the 5 online notary services in Europe above, we hope you can choose the best fit for your demands—speed, cost, tailored functions, regional compliance, and more. Online notarization of documents has gradually played a crucial role in streamlining transactions or agreements across businesses, especially in cross-border activities. Thus, embracing digital notary solutions can move toward both convenience and efficiency.