Get ready before you click
Have your physical, current photo ID, a strong internet connection, and a supported device with a camera, microphone, and speakers. Choose a quiet, well-lit place where you can read the documents and hear the notary. Follow your invitation’s device and browser instructions.
Know how to reach your closing team at a number you already trust. If your name, email, appointment time, ID, or technology presents a problem, contact that team before the meeting. Let them know in advance if you need an accommodation or assistance so they can confirm an appropriate arrangement.
1. Open your invitation
Use the secure link sent for your transaction. Read the instructions and confirm your name and contact information. Make sure the appointment time and time zone match your understanding.
The screen sequence can vary by platform. You may be asked to review disclosures, agree to electronic signing, or test your equipment. Read those requests before continuing. Contact your closing team if you receive an unexpected link or if the transaction details do not look right.
2. Review what you can
Read any documents made available before the meeting and complete advance electronic-signing steps only as instructed. Note questions you want answered before you sign.
Ask your lender or closing team about loan terms, closing figures, fees, ownership, or funds. The notary can guide you through the signing process; questions about what a document means for your transaction should go to the person responsible for that document.
If a name, amount, or document does not match what you expected, say so before signing it. You do not need to guess or click through to keep the appointment moving.
3. Verify your identity
Follow the secure on-screen instructions to enter the requested information and capture your original photo ID. You may be asked timed questions about your personal history. Complete your own identity steps and keep your answers private.
During the live session, the notary will also check your identity. Be ready to show your physical ID as directed. Every required signer must be prepared to complete their own required checks and appear live to the notary.
If a scan or identity step does not work, stop and contact your closing team. They can help determine the next permitted step. A technical problem does not mean you should send your ID to an unverified address or ask someone else to answer for you.
4. Meet the notary by video
Allow camera and microphone access for the approved signing site. Confirm that you and the notary can see and hear one another. Stay in a place where the notary can clearly see your face and you can follow the documents.
The notary will introduce themselves and explain the recording. For a Texas session, TLSA’s opening identifies the notary as a Remote Online Notary commissioned in Texas, explains that the session must be recorded by audio and video, and asks: “Do you consent to being recorded?” The next request is: “Please state your full name.”
Texas requires an audio/video record as part of its online notarial process. See the Texas Secretary of State’s recording guidance. If you have a concern about recording, raise it before proceeding so your closing team can discuss an appropriate next step.
The notary will guide you through the required document and platform prompts. Read each document before signing, ask questions, and follow any acknowledgment or oath instructions. Do not complete a step ahead of the notary when you have been asked to wait.
If you lose sound or video, tell the notary immediately if you can, and pause signing. Follow the notary’s and platform’s instructions for reconnecting. The notary will determine which steps need to be completed again.
5. After you sign
Your closing team will tell you how to obtain copies of your signed documents and when the closing is complete. Ask whether anything remains for you to do, such as a separate signature, document delivery, or another instruction specific to your file.
The video appointment ending does not mean the transaction has closed. Document review, funding, recording, and other closing steps may still remain. Rely on your closing team for the status and timing of your transaction.
Common questions before you join
Can I use my phone?
It depends on the platform and your transaction. Follow your invitation. If you prefer a phone, ask your closing team to confirm support before the appointment; do not assume every document package works on every device.
What if I do not understand a document?
Ask for a pause. Your lender or closing team can answer transaction questions. Do not sign a document simply because the next screen is ready.
What if I cannot complete verification?
Contact your closing team promptly. They can coordinate support or review another signing arrangement. An incomplete identity check must be resolved before the notarial process can continue.
What if the wiring instructions change?
Use a trusted phone number to verify an unexpected change with your closing team. Do not rely only on contact details in the message announcing the change.