Deeds · Owners in two states · Updated November 8, 2026
How do you sign a deed when one owner lives in another state?
The owner who is away can sign before a notary where they live and mail back the original, sign by remote online notarization, or have an agent sign under a power of attorney; the last two work only if the title company and county recording office accept them. Every signature must be acknowledged before recording.
Matthew Coleman, NJ Notary Public and NNA Certified Loan Signing Agent. Cranford, NJ. Fee confirmed before your session. Card charged only after it is complete. We aim to confirm within 15 minutes, 7am to 9pm.
Details
Option 1: a notary where the owner lives
A notary's commission covers acts in the state that issued it, so the owner signs in front of a notary commissioned where they are, using that state's certificate wording, and overnights the original back. We can send a mobile notary in the owner's state. Ask the title company or county clerk to confirm the certificate before the owner signs; certificate wording by state shows each state's official form.
Option 2: remote online notarization
New Jersey allows remote notarization: the signer can be anywhere, and the notary must be physically in New Jersey. Whether a remotely notarized deed works depends on the lender, if there is one, and the county where the deed is recorded, so confirm before you book. Most New Jersey counties accept electronic recording through approved vendors. See remote online notarization.
Option 3: an agent under a power of attorney
The owner who is away appoints someone to sign for them. Title companies review the power of attorney closely and often only accept it with advance approval, and it is typically recorded with the deed. See how to sign as power of attorney.
Before the deed is recorded
In New Jersey a deed is recorded with the county clerk, or the register of deeds in some counties, where the property sits. It must be signed by the grantor and acknowledged, and it needs the property description, the parties' names and the preparer's name. New Jersey generally collects a realty transfer fee at recording, paid by the seller, usually with an Affidavit of Consideration (RTF-1). Who prepares the deed and whether an exemption applies are questions for your attorney or title company.
If the owner is abroad
A deed signed in another country usually goes through a notary or consular officer there, and may need an apostille or consular steps. Start early: each step adds days.
What it costs
A notary visit outside New Jersey is quote-based: you see and approve the price before any work starts. In New Jersey the fee for each notarial act is capped at $2.50, and an online session's price is shown before you confirm. County recording fees and the realty transfer fee are set by the county and the state.
Get it notarized online today
Online notary: closed now · opens 7 AM ET · sessions by appointment
A New Jersey notary can notarize this with you on a video call, wherever you are in the U.S. $40 for the session, $10 for each extra signer. Any other fee shows in the booking form before you confirm. Open 7 am to 9 pm ET, every day, by appointment.
What you need
- A valid government photo ID
- A computer or phone with a camera
- The unsigned document
Our certificate states the act was performed using communication technology, as New Jersey law requires. What it must say
Most U.S. recipients accept a remotely notarized document; check with whoever will receive it. What to ask them · Several signers
How to book or request
Send the owner's state, ZIP code and address, what's being signed and how many people sign. We offer the job to a notary commissioned there and confirm only when one accepts. Owner in New Jersey? Book on our calendar instead.
Request a notary in the owner's stateBook a New Jersey notary Call (908) 444-6373
Common questions
Do both owners have to sign at the same time?
No. Each owner can sign in front of their own notary. Ask the title company or attorney how they want it done, for example one original passed from one owner to the next.
Can a New Jersey notary notarize for an owner in another state by video?
New Jersey's remote notarization lets the signer be anywhere while the notary is in New Jersey. Whether the deed is accepted that way depends on the lender and the county recording office, so ask first.
Who writes the deed?
Your attorney or title company. A notary can't draft a deed or advise on its contents.
How long does a mail-away signing add?
Count the days to print, sign, ship and receive the originals before recording; a signing near the end of the week can push things into the next week.
Related
- How to record a deed in New Jersey
- Out-of-state closings: mail-away signings
- Mobile notary outside New Jersey
- Certificate wording by state
- Document recording
General information, not legal advice. We are not lawyers, and MCC Solutions is not a law firm. The title company, the county recording office or an attorney decides what a deed needs. Updated November 8, 2026.