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Are Remote Online Notary Publics Valid?

Since the process of notarizations specifically requires you to be in the room with a Notary Public, you may be wondering:

Are remote online Notary Publics even valid?

The answer is a mix of yes and no. So far, close to half of the states in the U.S. have online notarizations fully or partially implemented.

So the availability of remote online notarizations (abbreviated RON) depends on where you live. States like Montana, Texas, Minnesota, and more, have RON on the books and fully implemented. Other states, like Florida, Kentucky, Idaho, and Oklahoma have implemented remote online notarizations as an emergency order, and it remains to be seen if it will stay around

Is Electronic Notarization Same As An Online Notary?

If someone asks a Notary Public to perform an online or remote notarization, that’s not the same thing as an electronic or “E-notarization.” In an e-notarization, the Notary Public and the parties are still physically present. However, all the documents are notarized in electronic form.

The confusion arises from the fact that there are digital documents involved in both types of notarizations. Only the signature is digital or “electronic.” However, in an electronic notarization, the Notary still needs to conduct the Notarial Act with the clients in the same physical space.

What Do You Need for an Online Notary Appointment?

To prepare for your remote online notary appointment, here’s what you’ll need:

Audio-visual equipment — Webcams, high-speed internet, and a computer, tablet, or smartphone with two-way audio is a must

Valid photo identification — One to two forms of identification, which could be some combination of driver’s license, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, Green card/PR card, military I.D., Certificate of U.S. Citizenship

Witnesses — States such as Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina call for witnesses to sign certain documents. These witnesses will need to be with you in the same room, and they’ll also need valid I.D.

Once you have these ready to go, the Notarial Act proceeds as expected.

What Does an Online Notary Cost?

Remote online Notary services cost almost the same as regular notary fees. It depends on the state you live in and the services you need. For example, in Ohio, an online notary can cost up to $25.

That said, the online notary service process is almost entirely the same, and the Notary Public still has to be as diligent and detail-oriented with authentication and record-keeping.

How Does the Online Notary Service Work?

Online notaries can be beneficial for both Notary Publics and their clients, but the technology behind this is still evolving. The protocols for identification must be encrypted, and clients always go through multiple checks before even speaking with an online notary. The extra levels of security are necessary, but they also mitigate some of the convenience that remote notarizations afford. Here is the process, in brief:

Step 1: Proving Your Identity Through Online Tools

First, you’ll need to use online, third-party tools to go through a few levels of personal identification. Have your chosen ID (licenses and passports) ready, as the online notary may choose to use a platform that uses knowledge-based testing to confirm that you’re a human.

Step 2: The Online Notary Public Further Confirms Identification

Once you meet with your online Notary Public, the process proceeds as usual. The Notary Publics will rely on audio-visual technology to detect duress during an online notarization. At this point, the Notary Public goes through the Notarial Act as they would in-person. The notarial seal or stamp is affixed to the appropriate short form, and the documents are signed.

Step 3: Transactions are Recorded and Securely Stored

Once the online notary service is complete, the software or platform your online Notary Public may work from could have an automatic transaction record feature. In this case, digital copies of the transaction are safely stored and can’t be accessed by anyone except the Notary Public.

Records of transactions, which also include journals recording the details of the notarial act, can be stored digitally and kept safe under digital security software. All documents are available right after the session, and there’s no way to alter these digital documents.

Conclusion

Online notary services are comparable to in-person notarizations in many ways. Much like mediations, you have to try an online notarization and experience it for yourself to decide if the benefits of online notary services are worth it for you.

If you’re not ready to take advantage of online notary services, but you’re still looking for convenience, use our mobile notary services instead. Contact Superior Notary Services today to learn more about how we expedite the official aspects of the most important decisions in your life.