Introduction
If you’re a contractor pulling permits, you know that every delay, every missing signature, and every un-witnessed document can become a serious headache. With the right permitting software, you don’t just file forms—you execute them correctly. Using your own notary (either Remote Online Notarization or in-person) through a connected platform means faster permit packages and fewer legal surprises. But skip the compliance check, and you risk invalid notarizations, loss of payment rights, and even criminal penalties.
1. How simple it is to use your own notaries via a connected permitting platform
When your permitting platform is integrated with your document workflow, adding a notary is easy. You generate the needed forms, then route them via the platform to your own notary (remote or in-person) for sealing and witnessing.
The benefit: no more hunting for a notary, no wasted trips to county offices, and no last-minute notarization panic. Your notary becomes part of the seamless workflow.
In Florida, RON (Remote Online Notarization) has been legal since January 1, 2020. If your platform supports it, notarization can happen within minutes, with video/audio recorded sessions and fully compliant audit trails.
2. What contractors should ensure their notary workflow does
- Identity verification using secure methods like credential analysis or KBA
- Real-time video/audio for RON sessions
- Proper notarial certificates clearly stating the notarization method
- Live witnessing or clear electronic signature capture
- Journal retention and video archive for at least 10 years (Florida law)
A good platform automates all of this, so your notary and documentation are 100% compliant.
3. The Risks & Penalties of Improper Notarization (for contractors and notaries)
Improper notarization can have severe consequences. Florida law (Statute §117.105 and §117.107) makes it a third-degree felony to notarize a document without proper witnessing.
Consequences include:
- Up to five years in prison
- Civil damages and lawsuits
- Loss of lien rights or payment enforcement rights for the contractor
- Permit rejection or delays from authorities
If a notarized NOC or affidavit is challenged, it could derail the entire permit process. And if your notary works for your company, you could be liable too.
4. What you need to look for in your platform & workflow
- Support for RON and in-person (IPEN) workflows
- Ability to use your own certified notaries
- Tamper-evident document handling
- Built-in journal, certificate, and video/audio record keeping
- Easy assignment of notaries within the permit package process
- Integration with NOC and other required forms
5. Why contractors using Permit Rockstar should care
Permit Rockstar lets contractors generate full permit packages in minutes. Now, with the ability to bring your own notary (either remote or in-person), the workflow becomes even more powerful:
- Faster processing
- Cleaner compliance
- Fewer rejected packets
- Full control of your documentation
You get to maintain the integrity of every signed and sealed document—with your trusted people, your pace, and our platform.
Conclusion
Notarization may seem like a small step in permitting, but done wrong, it can wreck your timelines and expose you to legal trouble. With Permit Rockstar, you integrate your own notary, use a compliant RON or IPEN process, and keep the wheels turning. That’s how real contractors build like rockstars.
