Serving Grand Island, Buffalo and all of Western New York — by secure video, so there's nothing to travel to.
Upload your document, pick a time, and meet by secure video with a commissioned New York notary. Your document is reviewed before you book, so you know it can actually be notarized remotely before you spend a minute on it.
New York excludes some very common documents. Worth checking before you book.
New York's electronic signature law (State Technology Law § 307) doesn't apply to these documents, and electronic notarization is only available where a document may be signed electronically. These must be signed and notarized in person, which means a traditional in-person notary rather than an online session. I only notarize remotely, so I can't help with these — but it's better to know now than after you've booked.
Deeds, mortgages, and other instruments affecting real property are a gray area. New York's electronic recording rules require a signatory to appear in person before a notary for a real property instrument that exists as an electronic record, and county clerks differ in what they'll accept. If your document is headed to a county clerk for recording, tell me in the form and I'll confirm before you book — in many cases these need an in-person notary instead.
Four steps, and the slow parts happen before you're on a call.
Send your document through the form below and answer a few short questions. This is what lets me confirm it can be notarized remotely.
Choose up to three times from my real availability. I confirm one of them by email, usually within a day — no back-and-forth to find a slot.
I review your document and confirm your time by email. Your link to join the session arrives separately, sent by BlueNotary — the platform the notarization runs on.
At your appointment you'll verify your identity, meet me on secure video, and sign. You receive the completed, tamper-sealed document right away.
Before the video call, New York requires your identity to be verified by two independent methods. One is a scan of your ID; the other is a short quiz drawn from public and credit records — past addresses, former vehicles, that sort of thing.
If you don't have a U.S. credit file — you recently moved to the country, you're young, or you're a foreign national — you will probably not pass it. That isn't a dead end, but it does need a credible witness arranged in advance. Tell me in the form and we'll plan for it.
Notarization fees are set and collected by the notarization platform, not by this office.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First notarization | $25 |
| Each additional notarization on the same document | $8 |
| Each additional signer | $5 |
| Witness provided for you | $10 |
| Bringing your own witness | No charge |
New York caps electronic notarization at $25 per notarial act (Executive Law § 136; 19 NYCRR § 182.11). Reviewing your document to confirm it qualifies costs you nothing.
About two minutes. Your document is reviewed before anything is charged.
Your appointment isn't booked yet. I'll review your document, confirm one of the times you picked, and email you — usually within a day. You'll get your session link before we meet.
Two emails to watch for: the confirmation comes from me (matt@peinelaw.com), and the link to join your session comes from BlueNotary, the notarization platform. Both can land in junk.
How to know if you're scheduled: if you haven't received a confirmation email from me at least 2 hours before a time you picked, that time isn't scheduled — don't wait around for it. I'll follow up about other options.
I'm a licensed New York notary based on Grand Island, and I regularly notarize for clients in Buffalo, Amherst, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Kenmore, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Lancaster, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Orchard Park, Hamburg and the surrounding communities in Erie and Niagara counties.
Every session is done online by secure video rather than in person — which for most people is quicker than arranging to meet. There's no office to drive to, no time off work, and no waiting for an appointment slot across town. If you're local, you get the same notarization without the trip.
The same applies further afield: New York law requires the notary to be physically in New York during the notarization, but you can be anywhere. That makes this practical across the state — Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, the Southern Tier and New York City — and for people who've left New York but still need a document notarized under its law.
Signing from outside the United States is possible, with conditions — see the questions below.
No. New York's electronic signature law (State Technology Law § 307) does not apply to documents disposing of a person or property on death or incompetence, or appointing a fiduciary — expressly including wills, trusts, health care decisions, and powers of attorney. Because electronic notarization is only available where a document may be signed electronically, a power of attorney, will, or trust must be signed and notarized in person.
Most everyday documents: affidavits and sworn statements, contracts and business agreements, LLC and corporate records, consent and authorization letters, travel consent forms, bills of sale, and settlement or release documents. If your document isn't on the excluded list above, it can usually be handled online.
No. Under Executive Law § 135-c the notary must be physically located in New York during the notarization, but you can be anywhere. If you're outside the United States, the document must relate to a matter before a U.S. court or government entity, or involve property or a transaction substantially connected with the United States.
The notarization platform charges $25 for the first notarization, $8 for each additional notarization on the same document, $5 per additional signer, and $10 if you need a witness provided. New York caps electronic notarization at $25 per notarial act. Reviewing your document beforehand is free.
An unexpired government-issued photo ID with your name matching the document, a device with a working camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and a U.S. credit history — the identity verification step draws on public and credit records, and signers without a U.S. credit file often can't pass it.
Ask before you book. New York's electronic recording rules require a signatory to appear in person before a notary for an instrument affecting real property that exists as an electronic record, and county clerks vary in what they accept. Deeds, mortgages, and similar instruments usually need a traditional in-person notary rather than an online session.
Yes. New York authorized electronic notarization under Executive Law § 135-c. A properly performed remote notarization satisfies any requirement that the signer personally appear before the notary, and the certificate states that the signer appeared using communication technology.
Yes, and for most people it's faster. I'm a licensed New York notary based on Grand Island, serving Buffalo, Amherst, Tonawanda, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Cheektowaga, Orchard Park, Hamburg and the rest of Erie and Niagara counties. Sessions are held online by secure video rather than in person, so there's no office to drive to and no waiting for an appointment across town — you get the same New York notarization from wherever you are. The exception is documents New York excludes from electronic signing, listed above, which need a traditional in-person notary.
No — there's no office visit at all. Everything happens by secure video, so you can be at home, at work or out of state. The exception is documents New York excludes from electronic signing, like powers of attorney, wills and trusts; those require a traditional in-person notary, which isn't something I offer.
The session link is sent by BlueNotary, the platform the notarization runs on — so that email comes from BlueNotary rather than from me. Your appointment confirmation comes from me directly. Watch for both, and check your junk folder if either is missing. You can cancel any time before the appointment using the link in my confirmation email, even after you've confirmed you'll attend.
No — I notarize online only. If your document is one New York excludes from electronic signing, such as a power of attorney, will or trust, you'll need a traditional in-person notary for it.