A Guide On Remote Notary

Do you have to travel and visit a notary public every time you need to sign a document? Remote online notarization saves you from the inconvenience. It is the process of notarizing a document remotely by a state-licensed notary public. The process requires an electronic signature, identity verification, an electronic journal, and audiovisual and record-keeping technology. Benefits of RON include reduced risk of identity fraud, security, enforceability, and increased access to notarial services.

Criteria for Performing Remote Notarization

Since the onset of Covid 19, many states have authorized the use of remote notarization. The criteria for performing remote notarization vary by state, but most legislation includes the following:

  • Registration with a remote notary use of audiovisual communication
  • Identification verification
  • Application of E-signatures and E-seals
  • Convenient recordings, journaling, and storage
  • Adherence to data privacy

Benefits of Remote Notarization

  • Increased access and convenience – with RON, remote notaries do not have to be in the same place. It makes the process easier and accessible to people in remote areas and those without transportation.
  • Fraud minimization – Notarization is meant to ensure people signing the document are the real people. They must present a government-issued ID and a remote notary confirming the ID’s cryptographic security and visual and physical features.
  • Security enforceability – RON uses other additional security features to show a notarized document is authentic.
  • Robust audit trail – The journal and audiovisual recording are evidence of a notarial act.

Documents That can be Notarized using RON

RON makes signing documents cost-effective and more efficient for most professionals and industries. It is mostly used in insurance, financial services, law and government, technology and business services, and many more sectors.

Financial Services and Insurance

Notarization is important in the insurance industries and financial services to ensure the validity of official transactions. RON is more useful in these instances:

  • Retirement distributions and beneficiary changes – when making retirement plans or choosing a beneficiary, spousal consent is required and should be recorded by a notary public. RON helps in speeding up this process.
  • Auto Title transfers – After selling your car and transferring your vehicle’s title to the new owner, a notary should be present to approve the transaction.
  • Establish trust – establishing a fiduciary arrangement or a trust is usually complicated where a third party holds assets for the beneficiary. RON simplifies this process.

Legal Services

RON can streamline and expedite the notarization process for law firms and other legal entities. Instances include:

  • Power of attorney: Installing power of attorney or choosing someone who can act on behalf of the other needs notarization.
  • Affidavits and motions: An affidavit is one of the most notarized document
  • Deeds: When transferring property to another person, legal documents must be notarized by a remote notary

State and Local Government

Local governments and states use remote online notarization in the circumstances such as:

  • Notarized child custody agreement – this agreement discusses how an individual and their former partner are expected to co-parent. It should be notarized together with other cases like child welfare and cases in family court.
  • Quitclaim deeds: Transferring private or public property to a guarantee requires a signed deed that is notarized.

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