Remote Online Notarization Service Agreement

Effective Date: September 18, 2026

These terms govern remote online notarization services provided by Stephanie Limardo, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, doing business as Palm & Seal.

Each client signs a separate engagement agreement before a session is confirmed. That engagement agreement identifies the client, the documents, the signers, and the fees for that engagement, and it incorporates these terms by reference. "Client" means the person or organization that signs the engagement agreement. Where Client is an organization, "Client" includes the organization and each individual signer it presents for notarization. Where Client is an individual, "signer" refers to Client and any additional individual signing the same document.

Section 1: Scope of Services

Palm & Seal provides remote online notarization services for the documents identified in Client's Intake Form and the accompanying invoice. These services include:

  • Review of the submitted documents for completeness and readiness for notarization

  • Formatting and tagging of the submitted files for the notarization platform

  • Scheduling and hosting a secure audio-video notarization session on a remote online notarization platform selected by Palm & Seal

  • Identity verification of each signer as required by Florida law
    Performance of the notarial acts identified on the invoice by a Florida-commissioned online notary public

  • Arrangement of remote witnesses where requested and itemized on the invoice

  • Delivery of the completed electronic documents as described in Section 11

Selection of platform. As provided in Section 117.265(5), Florida Statutes, the online notary selects the remote online notarization platform used for each session. Client may not require the use of a particular platform.

File formatting. Formatting a file for the platform, such as converting a fillable PDF to a static PDF, changes the file type only. Palm & Seal does not add, remove, or alter the content of any document.

Where Client has also engaged Palm & Seal for apostille services, those services are itemized on the accompanying invoice and are governed by Palm & Seal's Apostille Service Agreement.

Section 2: Nature of Notarial Services; No Legal Advice

All notarial acts are performed in compliance with Chapter 117, Florida Statutes, including Part II governing online notarizations. A notary public is an impartial witness to the identity of the signer and the signing. A notarization does not verify the truth, accuracy, legality, or effect of a document's contents.

Palm & Seal is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and does not represent Client in any legal capacity. Palm & Seal does not draft, complete, or advise on the content of any document. Palm & Seal cannot tell Client which type of notarial act or certificate a document requires. Client is responsible for determining this, with guidance from the party requesting the document or from a licensed attorney.

Section 3: Fees and Payment

Fees for each engagement are itemized in the invoice accompanying the engagement agreement and in Palm & Seal's current service menu, both of which are incorporated into the engagement agreement by reference.

Base session. The base session fee covers one document, one notarial act, and one signer. It is the same whether the signer is located in or outside the United States, and it is itemized on the invoice as a notarial act fee and a Session Preparation and Management Fee. Additional documents, notarial acts, signers, and witnesses are itemized separately.

Notarial act fees. Each notarial act is billed at a rate not to exceed the maximum permitted by Florida law. If a document requires more notarial acts than initially quoted, the additional acts will be invoiced before the session concludes.

Session Preparation and Management Fee. Every session carries a Session Preparation and Management Fee, billed as a separate line item from notarial act fees and included in the base session and package prices stated on the service menu. The fee covers access to the remote online notarization platform, document review, file formatting and tagging, participant coordination, and hosting the session. It begins at the amount stated on the service menu and increases with the number of documents, the size of the package, and the file formatting and tagging required to load the documents to the platform. This fee is earned when the preparation work is performed.

Same-Day Booking Fee. Sessions requested and confirmed less than twenty-four (24) hours before the scheduled start time carry a Same-Day Booking Fee, as stated on the service menu. Same-day sessions are accepted at Palm & Seal's discretion and subject to availability.

Witness and interpreter fees. Where Client requests witnesses or a certified interpreter, those fees are itemized on the invoice.

Payment deadline. Full payment of the invoice is due no later than two (2) hours before the scheduled start time. If payment has not been received by that time, the session is cancelled and the time is released. No session will begin until payment is received.

Estimates and adjustment. Fees quoted before Palm & Seal has reviewed Client's documents are estimates. If the documents submitted differ in number, type, signer count, or witness requirements from those described by Client, Palm & Seal will provide a revised quote before the session. Client is not obligated to accept a revised quote.

Section 4: Booking, Confirmation, and Late Arrival

Appointment requests. Client requests a session by completing Palm & Seal's online Intake Form, uploading the documents, and selecting a preferred time. Online requests require at least twenty-four (24) hours' notice. Submitting the Intake Form is a request for an appointment and does not confirm a session.

Review and confirmation. After reviewing the documents, Palm & Seal will either confirm the requested time or contact Client about any issue. A session is confirmed when Palm & Seal sends the invoice and written confirmation. Palm & Seal will then send each signer a secure session link by email or text message.

Same-day requests. Requests for a session less than twenty-four (24) hours away must be made directly by phone or email and carry the Same-Day Booking Fee described in Section 3.

Late arrival. If a signer has not joined within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled start time, the session is closed and treated as a no-show under Section 14.

Rescheduling by Palm & Seal. If Palm & Seal must reschedule, Client may choose a new session time at no additional charge or a full refund of amounts paid for the affected session.

Section 5: Technology Requirements

Client is responsible for ensuring that each signer and witness has:

A computer, tablet, or smartphone with a working camera and microphone
A stable internet connection sufficient for live audio-video communication
A current web browser or application supported by the notarization platform
A private, well-lit location where the signer's face and identification can be clearly seen

Where the platform requires each signer to join from a separate device, Client will arrange this before the session. The requirements for opening and keeping completed documents are set out in Section 19.

If the audio-video connection is lost or degraded during a session, the notary may pause, restart, or end the session. The notary and signer must be able to see and hear one another in real time, and no notarial act will be completed without that connection.

If a session cannot be completed because of a failure of the platform or of Palm & Seal's equipment, Palm & Seal will reschedule at no additional charge. If a session cannot be completed because of a signer's device, connection, or environment, Section 14 governs.

Section 6: Identity Verification

Each signer must satisfy the identity verification requirements of Section 117.265(4), Florida Statutes, before any notarial act is performed. Unless the signer is personally known to the notary, verification includes:

Remote presentation and credential analysis of a current, unexpired government-issued photo identification
Identity proofing, by knowledge-based authentication or by biometric verification as described below

Knowledge-based authentication. Signers using knowledge-based authentication must answer at least four (4) of five (5) questions correctly within two (2) minutes. Each signer has two (2) attempts. If a signer does not pass after two attempts, the session cannot proceed and must be rescheduled for at least twenty-four (24) hours later. Section 14 sets out the fees that apply.

Biometric verification for non-U.S. citizens. Signers who are not U.S. citizens complete identity proofing by biometric verification, consisting of credential analysis of the signer's passport and a facial comparison scan, in place of knowledge-based authentication.

Acceptable identification for non-U.S. citizens. Signers who are not U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book. Other forms of foreign identification are not accepted.

Name matching. The signer's name on the document must match, or be reasonably consistent with, the name on the identification presented. Palm & Seal may decline to notarize where it does not.

If the notary cannot confirm a signer's identity as required by Florida law, the notary may not perform the notarization.

Section 7: Location of the Notary and Signers; Session Conduct

Notary location. Palm & Seal's online notary is physically located in the State of Florida during every session, as required by Sections 117.209(3) and 117.265(1), Florida Statutes.

Signer and witness location. Signers and witnesses may participate from any location, within or outside Florida and within or outside the United States. An online notarization performed in accordance with Chapter 117 is deemed performed in Florida and is governed by Florida law.

Consent to Florida law. Each signer located outside Florida will confirm, on the recording and in the Signer Consent described in Section 10, that the signer wants the notarial act performed by a Florida notary public under Florida law, as required by Section 117.265(3), Florida Statutes. Where Client is the signer, Client's signature on the engagement agreement also constitutes that written consent.

Session conduct. During the session, each signer agrees to:

  • State their physical location when asked

  • Remain visible on camera for the entire session

  • Sign only after the notary directs them to do so

  • Show the notary their surroundings on request

  • Ensure that no one else is present unless they are a witness, interpreter, or other participant disclosed to Palm & Seal in advance

No person may direct, coach, or influence a signer's decision to sign during the session.

Section 8: Witnesses and Estate Planning Documents

Witnesses. Some documents require one or more witnesses. Client is responsible for determining whether a document requires witnesses and for disclosing this at intake. Palm & Seal can provide remote witnesses for an additional fee itemized on the invoice. Client may instead provide its own witnesses, who must satisfy the same identity and technology requirements as signers. A signer may not act as a witness to their own signature.

Estate planning documents and vulnerable adults. Florida law imposes additional requirements when certain documents, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care advance directives, are signed through online notarization. These requirements are set out in Section 117.285, Florida Statutes, and include questions the notary must ask the signer during the session. Client agrees to disclose at intake if any document is of this type. Florida law restricts online notarization and remote witnessing when the signer is a vulnerable adult. Where those restrictions apply, Palm & Seal will not proceed with the session as a remote online notarization.

Section 9: Notary's Right to Refuse or Stop a Session

The notary has sole discretion, as required by law and professional standards, to refuse to perform a notarial act or to stop a session at any time. Grounds for refusal include:

  • The notary is unable to verify a signer's identity to the standard required by law

  • A signer appears to lack an understanding of the document or of the act of signing

  • A signer appears to be signing under pressure, coercion, or undue influence

  • The document is incomplete, contains blank spaces that should be filled, or appears altered

  • A signer's answers to any question required by Section 117.285, Florida Statutes, prevent the notarization from proceeding

  • A signer declines to sign the Signer Consent described in Section 10

  • The notary has a conflict of interest or a personal or financial interest in the document

  • The session cannot be conducted in compliance with Florida law

Where the notary refuses or stops a session for any of these reasons, Section 14 governs fees.

Section 10: Signer Consent, Audio-Video Recording, and Electronic Journal

Signer Consent. At the start of each session, every signer, including a signer who is not Client, reads and signs Palm & Seal's Signer Consent. The Signer Consent records each signer's consent to electronic signatures and electronic records, consent to the recording of the session, physical location, and, for a signer located outside Florida, consent to notarization by a Florida notary public under Florida law. A session cannot proceed for a signer who does not sign it.

Consent to recording. Florida law requires that every online notarization session be recorded, including audio and video. By signing the engagement agreement, Client consents, and agrees to obtain the consent of each signer, witness, and participant presented by Client, to the recording of the full session. Each participant will also be asked to confirm consent at the start of the session. A session cannot proceed without that consent.

Electronic journal. The notary records each online notarization in an electronic journal as required by Section 117.245, Florida Statutes.

Retention. The electronic journal and the session recording are maintained for at least ten (10) years after the date of the notarial act, as required by Section 117.245(4), Florida Statutes. They are maintained securely on the remote online notarization platform used for the session.

Access. The recording and journal are compliance records. They are not included as a deliverable with Client's completed documents. Under Section 117.255, Florida Statutes, the parties to a notarized electronic record, and certain other persons identified in that section, may request copies of the pertinent journal entries and access to the recording. Requests should be made in writing to hello@palmandseal.com. Florida law permits a fee of up to $20 for journal copies and up to $20 for recording access, except for requesters the statute exempts. Any fee will be disclosed before the copy or access is provided. All other access is provided only as required by law, subpoena, or court order.

Section 11: Completed Documents and Delivery

Upon completion of the session, the completed electronically signed and notarized documents will be made available to Client through the notarization platform or by secure electronic delivery from Palm & Seal.

Client is responsible for downloading and saving the completed documents promptly. Palm & Seal retains copies of completed documents only as described in Section 15 and cannot guarantee that the platform's download link will remain available indefinitely.

Where Client requires the completed document in paper form or requires an apostille, those services are quoted separately.

Section 12: Acceptance by Receiving Parties

Acceptance of a remotely notarized document by any receiving party, including a county recorder, court, financial institution, government agency, foreign authority, or employer, is determined solely by that party. Some receiving parties do not accept remotely notarized documents or impose additional requirements for them.

Client is solely responsible for confirming, before engaging Palm & Seal, that the receiving party will accept a document notarized by remote online notarization, and for confirming any other requirement that party imposes, including whether the document must be accompanied by a translation. Palm & Seal does not determine or advise on those requirements. Where the document is destined for use abroad, Section 8 of Palm & Seal's Apostille Service Agreement governs translation.

Palm & Seal does not guarantee acceptance of any document by any receiving party.

Section 13: Interpreters

The notary must be able to communicate with each signer directly or through an interpreter. Where a signer is not fluent in English, Client must disclose this at intake so that Palm & Seal can arrange a certified interpreter through an outside provider. Interpreter fees are itemized on the invoice. Palm & Seal will not proceed if the notary cannot confirm that the signer understands the session.

Section 14: Rescheduling, Cancellation, and Refunds

Fees are earned as work is performed. Refunds are determined by the work Palm & Seal has already completed at the time of the change, regardless of whether the session took place.

Rescheduling by Client. Rescheduling a confirmed session with more than four (4) hours' notice is free. Rescheduling with four (4) hours' notice or less carries a $35 rescheduling fee.

Cancellation by Client with more than four (4) hours' notice. If Client cancels a confirmed session with more than four (4) hours' notice, amounts paid are refunded, less the portion of the Session Preparation and Management Fee earned for platform costs, document review, file formatting, and scheduling already performed. The amount retained is not less than $35.

Cancellation by Client with four (4) hours' notice or less. If Client cancels a confirmed session with four (4) hours' notice or less, or a session is cancelled for non-payment under Section 3, only fees for notarial acts that were not performed are refunded. The Session Preparation and Management Fee, any Same-Day Booking Fee, and all witness and interpreter fees are non-refundable, as the document review, file formatting, and scheduling work has already been performed and those participants have been committed.

No-shows. A signer who has not joined within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled start time is treated as a no-show. A no-show is handled as a cancellation by Client with four (4) hours' notice or less.

Failed identity verification. If a signer does not pass knowledge-based authentication after two attempts, or cannot complete credential analysis or biometric verification, the session is rescheduled for at least twenty-four (24) hours later. The rescheduled session carries an additional Session Preparation and Management Fee of not less than $35. Where witnesses are required, witness fees are charged again for the rescheduled session. Notarial act fees already paid are applied to the rescheduled session.

Other sessions not completed for reasons within the signer's responsibility. If a session cannot be completed because a signer lacks acceptable identification, lacks required witnesses, has an unsuitable device or connection, presents an incomplete document, or is refused under Section 9, the same terms as a failed identity verification apply if Client reschedules. Client must reschedule within fourteen (14) days of the incomplete session. If Client does not, the session is handled as a cancellation by Client with four (4) hours' notice or less.

Withdrawal of electronic consent. Where Client or a signer withdraws consent to electronic signatures or records under Section 19 before the notarial acts are performed, the session cannot proceed and is handled as a cancellation by Client, with the notice period measured from the time of withdrawal.

Partially completed sessions. Where some notarial acts are performed and others are not, fees for the acts performed are non-refundable and fees for the acts not performed are refunded. The Session Preparation and Management Fee, any Same-Day Booking Fee, and any witness and interpreter fees remain non-refundable.

Sessions not completed for reasons within Palm & Seal's responsibility. Client may choose a rescheduled session at no additional charge or a full refund of amounts paid for the affected session.

After the session is complete. All fees are non-refundable once the notarial acts have been performed, including where a receiving party declines the document for any reason.

Section 15: Records, Retention, and Privacy

Palm & Seal maintains a record of each engagement, including the executed engagement agreement, each executed Signer Consent, intake information, invoices, and correspondence. These records are retained in accordance with Palm & Seal's Records Retention Policy.

Copies of Client's documents and identification held outside the notarization platform are retained only for the period necessary to complete the engagement and are securely deleted thereafter in accordance with that same policy, except where retention is required by law. The electronic journal and session recording are retained as described in Section 10.

Palm & Seal's handling of Client's personal information is governed by its Privacy Policy.

Section 16: Confidentiality and Data Security

Confidential Information. "Confidential Information" means Client's documents and all information contained in them or provided by Client in connection with an engagement. This includes identification credential images and numbers, identity proofing and biometric verification data, financial account information, health information, and any other personal information as defined in Section 501.171, Florida Statutes.

Use. Palm & Seal will use Confidential Information only to perform the services described in these terms and to meet its legal obligations as an online notary public. Palm & Seal will not sell, rent, or use Confidential Information for marketing. Palm & Seal reviews the contents of Client's documents only to the extent necessary to perform the notarial acts.

Permitted disclosures. Palm & Seal will disclose Confidential Information only:

  • To service providers engaged to complete the engagement, including the remote online notarization platform, identity proofing and credential analysis providers, witnesses, interpreters, and secure document, scheduling, and payment systems, each of which receives only what is needed for its role

  • To persons entitled to journal copies or recording access under Section 117.255, Florida Statutes

  • To any other party at Client's written direction

  • As required by law, subpoena, court order, or a lawful request from a government agency, including an investigation by the Florida Department of State

Notice of compelled disclosure. Where Palm & Seal is legally compelled to disclose Confidential Information, Palm & Seal will notify Client before disclosure where the law permits, so that Client may seek protection if Client chooses.

Security measures. Palm & Seal will take reasonable measures to protect and secure Confidential Information in electronic form, as required by Section 501.171, Florida Statutes. The notary will also keep the electronic journal, official electronic signature, and electronic seal secure and under the notary's sole control, as required by Section 117.255, Florida Statutes. The platform used for each session is required by Section 117.265(6), Florida Statutes, to be secured from unauthorized interception.

Breach notification. If Palm & Seal determines that a breach of security has affected Client's personal information, Palm & Seal will notify Client and any required government agency within the time and in the manner required by Section 501.171, Florida Statutes. Any compromise of the electronic journal, official electronic signature, or electronic seal will also be reported to law enforcement and the Florida Department of State as required by Section 117.255, Florida Statutes.

Disposal. When Confidential Information is no longer to be retained, Palm & Seal will dispose of it by erasing or otherwise making the personal information unreadable, as required by Section 501.171(8), Florida Statutes, and in accordance with its Records Retention Policy.

Client's responsibilities. Client agrees to transmit documents and personal information to Palm & Seal only through the secure channels Palm & Seal designates. Palm & Seal is not responsible for the security of information Client sends through channels Palm & Seal did not designate.

Exceptions. These obligations do not apply to information that is publicly available through no act of Palm & Seal, or that Client has made public.

Survival. This Section survives completion or termination of an engagement.

Section 17: Limitation of Liability

Palm & Seal's total aggregate liability under these terms, for any cause and under any theory of liability, including negligence, shall not exceed the amount of professional service fees actually paid by Client for the engagement, excluding witness and interpreter costs.

Palm & Seal shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages of any kind, including lost opportunity, missed deadlines, rejected filings, or delayed transactions, regardless of whether Palm & Seal was advised of the possibility of such damages.

Nothing in these terms limits Palm & Seal's liability for its own gross negligence or intentional misconduct, or any liability that cannot be limited under Florida law.

Section 18: Force Majeure

Palm & Seal shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform arising from causes beyond its reasonable control, including notarization platform or identity verification service outages, internet or power failures, natural disasters, severe weather, public health emergencies, or acts of civil or military authority.

Section 19: Electronic Records, Signatures, and Communications

Consent to do business electronically. Client agrees to conduct the transaction electronically. Client agrees that the engagement agreement, the Intake Form, and each Signer Consent may be signed electronically, and that an electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature. This consent is given under Section 668.50, Florida Statutes, and the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001 and following.

Nature of the service. Remote online notarization is performed entirely with electronic signatures and electronic records. An online notarization cannot be performed on paper.

Scope. This consent covers the engagement agreement, the Intake Form, invoices, confirmations, session links, notices, receipts, and the completed documents delivered in the engagement. It also covers any later engagement of Palm & Seal by Client for remote online notarization, unless Client withdraws it.

Signers. Each signer, including a signer who is not Client, gives the signer's own consent to electronic signatures and records by signing the Signer Consent described in Section 10. Whether a receiving party accepts electronic signatures or a remotely notarized document is a matter between the signer or Client and that party, and Section 12 governs.

Paper copies. Client may request a paper copy of the engagement agreement or of any notice delivered under it by emailing hello@palmandseal.com. Palm & Seal will disclose any printing and postage charge before sending. A request for a paper copy does not withdraw consent.

Withdrawal of consent. Client or any signer may withdraw consent to electronic signatures and records at any time before the notarial acts are performed, by emailing hello@palmandseal.com or by telling the notary during the session. Because an online notarization cannot be performed on paper, withdrawal means the session cannot proceed as a remote online notarization. Section 14 governs fees. Withdrawal does not affect the validity of any document signed or notarized electronically before withdrawal.

Updating contact information. Client agrees to notify Palm & Seal promptly at hello@palmandseal.com of any change to the email address or phone number provided at intake, and to include Client's name and the date of the session in the notice.

Requirements to access and keep records. To open and keep the electronic records delivered under these terms, Client needs:

  • A computer, tablet, or smartphone with a current web browser

  • Access to the email address provided at intake

  • A PDF reader able to open digitally signed PDF files

  • The ability to download and store electronic files

Some receiving parties require the electronic file itself. Client should keep the original electronic file of each completed document rather than relying only on a printed copy.

Changes to requirements. If these requirements change in a way that creates a material risk that Client cannot open or keep a record delivered under these terms, Palm & Seal will notify Client of the new requirements.

Confirmation of access. By signing the engagement agreement electronically, Client confirms that Client can open and keep electronic records in the manner described in this Section.

Section 20: Entire Agreement; Amendment

These terms, together with Client's engagement agreement, Intake Form, the accompanying invoice, the current service menu, and each executed Signer Consent, constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding its subject matter and supersede all prior discussions, quotes, and representations. An engagement may be amended only in writing signed or electronically accepted by both parties.

If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force.

Section 21: Changes to These Terms

Palm & Seal may update these terms from time to time. The version in effect on the date Client signs the engagement agreement governs that engagement. The Effective Date above shows when the current version was posted.

Section 22: Engagement Details

The specific documents, signers, witnesses, services, and fees covered by an engagement are set out in:

  • Client's completed Remote Online Notarization Intake Form, including the document types, number of signers, witness requirements, interpreter needs, and signer locations identified by Client, and the invoice accompanying the engagement agreement

Both are incorporated by reference. Client is responsible for the accuracy of the information provided in the Intake Form. Where the documents or signers presented differ from those described, Section 3 governs.

Section 23: Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Venue for any dispute shall lie in Broward County, Florida.

Section 24: Acceptance

Client accepts these terms by signing the engagement agreement and remitting payment. In doing so, Client acknowledges having read and understood these terms, consents to conducting the transaction with electronic signatures and electronic records as described in Section 19, consents to the audio-video recording of the notarization session, consents where Client is a signer located outside Florida to the notarial act being performed by a Florida notary public under Florida law, agrees to these terms, and authorizes Palm & Seal to hold the confirmed session described in Client's Intake Form and the accompanying invoice.

Contact

Stephanie Limardo, LLC dba Palm & Seal
1314 E Las Olas Blvd, Unit 2833, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 909-6833 | hello@palmandseal.com | www.palmandseal.com

Palm & Seal is a service of Stephanie Limardo, LLC. We are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice. If you have questions about your legal rights or obligations, consult a licensed attorney.