Florida does not require a journal for traditional notarizations — but strongly recommends one. For remote online notarizations, a tamper-evident electronic journal is mandatory under F.S. § 117.245, with 10-year retention. NotaryAct is state-configured for Florida — RON fields are fully enabled, and traditional journal support is available as best practice.
| ⚖️ Florida Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | Florida Statutes Chapter 117 · § 117.245 (RON journal) |
| Traditional Journal | Not required by law · Strongly recommended as best practice |
| RON Electronic Journal | Mandatory — every RON session ✓ |
| RON Journal Format | Tamper-evident electronic · Secure against unauthorized access |
| RON Audio-Video Recording | Required — every RON session — 10-year retention ✓ |
| Retention Period (RON) | 10 years from date of notarial act |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | Not required · Not prohibited · Optional in NotaryAct FL configuration |
| RON Authorized Since | January 1, 2020 (HB 409 · Chapter 2019-71) |
| RON Registration | Register with Florida DOS + complete RON education · $10 fee |
| RON Max Fee | $25 per notarial act (RON) · $10 per transaction for electronic copies |
| Traditional Max Fee | $10 per notarial act |
| Commission Term | 4 years |
| Surety Bond | $7,500 |
Florida takes an approach that surprises many notaries: there is no legal requirement to keep a journal for traditional in-person notarizations. The Florida Department of State provides a “Daily Transaction Journal” template and strongly encourages its use, but failing to maintain one is not a statutory violation for paper notarizations.
The situation is entirely different for remote online notarizations. Under F.S. § 117.245, every Florida online notary must maintain a tamper-evident electronic journal covering all RON sessions, plus retain a complete audio-visual recording of each session. Both must be kept for 10 years. Failure to comply puts the notary’s commission and the validity of the notarization at risk.
✔ NotaryAct is state-configured for Florida: NotaryAct’s Florida configuration fully enables all required RON journal fields under § 117.245. For traditional notarizations, NotaryAct provides a best-practice journal structure aligned with the Florida DOS Daily Transaction Journal template — giving Florida notaries the protection of a complete record even when not legally required. Fingerprint capture is available as an optional field in both modes.
The absence of a legal mandate does not mean the absence of risk. A journal entry is a notary’s strongest defense if a notarization is later disputed, challenged in court, or the subject of a fraud claim. Without a journal, a notary has no contemporaneous record that the signer appeared, how their identity was verified, or what was notarized.
Florida courts have considered notary records in cases involving deed fraud, forged signatures, and elder financial abuse. In each case, the presence or absence of a journal record was significant. The Florida DOS acknowledges this, which is why it provides a journal template and recommends its use even though compliance is voluntary.
Best-practice journal entries for Florida traditional notarizations should include: the date and time of the act; the type of notarial act; a description of the document; the signer’s full name and address; the method of identity verification and ID details; and the fee charged. These are the same fields that Florida law mandates for RON — applying them consistently across all notarizations is both prudent and straightforward with NotaryAct.
Under F.S. § 117.245, every online notarization must be recorded in the electronic journal. Each entry must contain all of the following:
| 1 | Date and Time of the Notarial Act Auto-timestamped by NotaryAct at submission — locked and permanent. |
| 2 | Type of Notarial Act Acknowledgment, oath or affirmation, verification, witnessing a signature, or copy certification. NotaryAct’s dropdown covers all Florida-authorized act types. |
| 3 | Title or Type of Document The title or identifying description of the document being notarized. |
| 4 | Principal’s Printed Name and Address Full name and address of every person for whom the act is performed. NotaryAct captures this from the signer’s ID during the credential analysis phase. |
| 5 | Identity Verification Method How the principal’s identity was established — personal knowledge, or identity proofing plus credential analysis. The entry must confirm whether the principal passed identity proofing and credential analysis. |
| 6 | Description of the Online Notarization System Used The name and description of the RON technology platform used to conduct the session. NotaryAct includes a dedicated platform field in every RON entry. |
In addition to the electronic journal, Florida online notaries must retain a complete audio-visual recording of every RON session, including the identity verification portion. The recording must be kept for 10 years from the date of the notarial act. The RON service provider may delegate storage responsibility to an approved secure repository under a written contract, provided the Florida Department of State is notified within 30 days of the delegation.
The recording must be made available on request to: parties to the notarized record; qualified custodians of electronic wills; title agents and title insurers; any person asked to accept a notarized power of attorney; the Department of State; and courts or law enforcement under lawful inspection demands.
| Florida Requirement | How NotaryAct Covers It | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional journal (best practice) | Best-practice journal available matching FL DOS Daily Transaction Journal template | ✔ |
| RON electronic journal — tamper-evident | Entries locked at submission; encrypted cloud; audit trail | ✔ |
| All 6 required RON journal fields | All fields enabled in Florida RON configuration; platform field included | ✔ |
| Identity proofing pass/fail documented | Verification result captured as part of RON entry | ✔ |
| 10-year retention | Encrypted cloud storage; records accessible well beyond 10-year minimum | ✔ |
| Journal under notary’s secure control | Password/biometric access; notary-only login; no shared access | ✔ |
| Fingerprint — optional | Available as optional field via camera photo or Bluetooth scanner; not required | ✔ |
Other state guides: California · New York · Texas · Illinois · Ohio · All 50 States →
NotaryAct is state-configured for Florida — all required RON journal fields enabled, tamper-evident records, 10-year encrypted cloud retention, and best-practice journal support for traditional notarizations. Whether you do paper or remote online work, your records are protected.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects Florida Statutes Chapter 117 (including § 117.245) as in effect June 2026. Consult the Florida Department of State or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
