Skip to content

Personal Appearance

Also called: personally appeared, in the presence of the notary

The RULONA requirement that the signer of a document be physically (or, for RON, via qualified audio-video) in the notary's presence at the moment of notarization. No exceptions — a signed document left at the notary's desk cannot be notarized later.

Personal appearance is the single most litigated element of Pennsylvania notarial practice. Courts have routinely struck down acknowledgments and jurats where the signer was not actually present — see In re Jones, 308 B.R. 223 (Bankr. E.D. Pa. 2004). For remote online notarization, personal appearance is satisfied through qualified two-way audio-video communication, not merely voice or email.

Source: 57 Pa.C.S. § 306 — Personal appearance required

See also: acknowledgment, jurat, ron

This page is educational information, not legal advice. Pennsylvania notary law changes; always verify against the current version of RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331) and 4 Pa. Code at pa.gov. Consult a PA-licensed attorney for specific situations.