Witnesses on the Proof Platform – Proof Help Center
Proof's platform supports several witness types for transactions—including credible witnesses who verify signer identity, document witnesses who observe signing, Florida property witnesses who observe remotely under specific conditions, and on-demand witnesses called during sessions—while it does not support signature witnesses (proxy signers) or subscribing witnesses (attestations), with a maximum of two witnesses allowed per meeting alongside the notary and signer.
The short answer: Proof supports several witness types depending on your transaction — and a couple it doesn't. This guide covers what's available, what isn't, and why.
Witness Types Overview
Available Types of Witnesses
Proof supports several witness types depending on the nature of your transaction:
- Credible Witness: Vouches for the identity of a signer after successfully completing identity verification.
- Document Witness: An individual who watches another person sign a document.
- Florida Property Witness: Personally known to the notary and observes the execution of a document by a person who is in the witness's electronic presence — but not their physical presence. Only available on select transactions that meet specific eligibility criteria.
- On-Demand Witness: A notary may be able to call an on-demand witness if one is needed during a session.
A total of 10 devices can connect to a single meeting. One must be a notary and one must be a signer — the remaining slots can be any combination of participants (signers, real estate contacts, etc.), with a maximum of 2 witnesses.
Unavailable Types of Witnesses
Not every witness type is supported on Proof. Here are two that aren't available:
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Signature Witness (Proxy Signer): A signature witness is a notary who officially witnesses or observes someone signing a document as a notarial act. This is different from a document witness and is relatively uncommon — an affirmation or jurat is typically performed instead.
- Pro tip: A quick way to tell if a signature witness is required: check the notarial certificate. If it reads "Signed (or attested) before me…," that's a signature witnessing.
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Subscribing Witness (Attestation): A subscribing witness — also called an attestation — watches the signing of a document and then appears before a notary in the principal signer's place to confirm the absent party willingly signed. Some states prohibit subscribing witnesses entirely due to the elevated risk of fraud.
- Pro tip: If you need someone to sign on another person's behalf, the representative signer feature may be a better fit for your situation.
Summary Checklist
- Proof supports four witness types: Credible Witness, Document Witness, Florida Property Witness, and On-Demand Witness.
- A maximum of 2 witnesses can connect to a single meeting, with a total of 10 devices allowed.
- Signature witnesses and subscribing witnesses are not available on Proof.
- The representative signer feature may be an alternative for those who need someone to sign on another person's behalf.
Still unsure? Reach out to Proof Support for any help with the platform itself. If you have questions about specific witness requirements for your document, please contact the document recipient or sender directly.
Related
Witness Guidelines for Signers – Proof Help Center
The Proof Help Center's Witness Guidelines for Signers explain that witnesses, who are neutral third parties observing document signing, may be required based on the document or recipient's rules rather than notarial law, and signers can either use a remote witness via Proof's On-Demand Witness feature or bring their own in-person witness who meets criteria such as being over 18, having no interest in the transaction, and complying with document or state requirements, while noting that notaries should not act as witnesses except in specific eligible cases.
Require a Witness for Documents
The article explains how to require a witness for document signing by either having the signer bring their own physically present witness or using an On-Demand Witness from the Notarize Network during the meeting, detailing the process for adding witnesses, the signer's responsibility to meet state or document-specific witness requirements, and the steps to set witness requirements when preparing documents for notarization.
Estate Planning with Proof: Remote Execution for Estate Documents
Proof is a technology platform enabling remote electronic execution of estate planning documents like wills and powers of attorney, but it is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and requires users to consult their own legal counsel to ensure compliance with varying state laws and document types before using its e-signature and remote online notarization services.
Why Can't I Be an On-Demand Notary? – Proof Help Center
To become an On-Demand Notary on the Notarize Network via Proof, you must hold a current commission in Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Virginia, but if your state is not active, you can still serve clients digitally as a Notary-Sourced Transaction (NST) notary while awaiting your state's inclusion, with updates available through Proof’s Compliance Map and waitlist.
Notary Capacities Overview
Proof supports three notary capacities—On-Demand Notary (ODN), Notary-Sourced Transaction (NST), and In-House Notary (IHN)—each with distinct setup processes and transaction scopes, where ODNs serve the Notarize Network's on-demand queue in select states, NSTs operate independently for their own clients, and IHNs work within organizations with permissions set by admins, all requiring review and approval before activation.
Using Proof platform on your mobile device
The Proof platform allows users to notarize documents on their mobile phone via a web browser without downloading an app, enabling signers to perform all transaction actions on their device, while witnesses can join meetings on mobile or computer except on-demand witnesses who must use a computer, and real estate transactions cannot be completed through the Notarize app but must be done via a browser.