How to get a small estate affidavit notarized online

Who signs, and which notarial act

Whoever the affidavit or the bank's form asks to sign: usually the person collecting, and sometimes every heir or a surviving spouse. Each joins from their own device, wherever they are in the U.S.

A jurat: each signer swears or affirms that the statements are true, and the notary gives the oath on the video call.

Ask the recipient first

Only the person or office receiving the small estate affidavit can say whether an electronic notarization works for them. Ask:

• The bank, employer or agency holding the property: do you have your own affidavit form, and do you accept one notarized electronically?
• Which state's affidavit applies? Usually the state where the person lived, which sets the dollar limit and any waiting period.
• Must every heir sign, or only the person collecting?
• Do you want a certified death certificate with it, and do you need the original affidavit on paper?

The state's rules come first. Each state sets its own dollar limit, waiting period after the death and whether a notary is needed. Check yours in our small estate affidavit by state table or the eligibility checker before you book. The notary confirms who is swearing; whether the estate qualifies is not something a notary decides.

Doing it online, step by step

1. Check the state's limit and wait. Use the state table or checker; some states make you wait 30 days or more after the death.
2. Get the holder's form. Banks and agencies often insist on their own; fill in every blank except the signatures.
3. Book for every signer. Each heir or spouse who must sign counts as a signer.
4. Swear and sign on video. Each signer shows ID, takes the oath and signs; the notary completes the jurat.
5. Send it with the death certificate. Most holders want a certified copy with the affidavit.

Mistakes that stop the session

Signing before the waiting period ends. If the state sets a waiting period, an affidavit signed too early can be refused.

Real estate. In many states the affidavit can't transfer a house; the state table shows how real estate is treated.

An heir who won't sign. If the form needs every heir and one refuses, the affidavit route may not work; that's a question for a probate attorney.

Blank amounts. List each asset and value as the form asks; the notary won't fill them in.

What it costs

$50 for the session, plus $10 for each extra signer. Any other fee shows in the booking form before you confirm. For the usual 2 signers on a small estate affidavit, that is $60 for the session. If a witness is needed, a video witness can be added in the booking form at $40 each.

Open 7 am to 9 pm ET, every day, by appointment. Have a current photo ID, a device with a camera, and the unsigned PDF.

Signing from outside the U.S.? New Jersey allows it only when the document is for a U.S. court, agency or other U.S. entity, involves property in the U.S., or relates to a transaction substantially connected with the U.S., and signing isn't prohibited where you are (N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.10). Check your document.

Related

• Small estate affidavit notary checks
• Small estate affidavit by state
• Small estate eligibility checker
• Executor guide by state
• Every document we cover online

Other documents notarized online

• Bill of sale
• Child travel consent letter
• Lease
• Promissory note
• Gift letter
• Name change affidavit
• Residency affidavit
• Affidavit of identity
• Certification of trust
• Affidavit of domicile
• Insurance proof of loss
• Lien waiver
• Release or settlement agreement
• Prenuptial agreement
• Letter of authorization
• Advance directive or health care proxy
• Passport consent form (DS-3053)
• 401(k) or pension spousal consent
• Affidavit of single status
• Certificate of incumbency
• Translator's certification
• HIPAA authorization
• Employment verification letter
• Beneficiary change form
• Separation agreement
• Personal guarantee
• Revocation of power of attorney

General information, not legal advice. We are not lawyers: we notarize, and we don't draft or explain documents. Whoever receives your document decides what it accepts, and we can't guarantee that any office or company will accept it. Updated November 8, 2026.