Notary Law Update: NC House Bill 1023
State: North Carolina
Summary:House Bill 1023 extends the sunset of two temporary COVID-19 Notary provisions previously enacted by Senate Bill 704 that were set to expire on August 1, 2020.
Signed:
July 01, 2020
Effective:
July 01, 2020
Chapter: 2020-80
Affects:Amends Sections 10B-10(b1) and 10B-25(n) of the North Carolina General Statutes.
Changes:
- Gives Notaries who are issued Notary commissions after March 9, 2020, and before March 1, 2021, 90 days to appear before the the register of deeds to take the general oath of office as a Notary Public.
- Extends the temporary remote notarization provisions in G.S. 10B-25(n) that were set to sunset on August 1, 2021, until March 1, 2021.
Analysis:In May, Senate Bill 704 was signed into law. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it temporarily authorized Notaries to perform remote notarizations. It also gave Notaries whose commissions were granted after March 9, 2020, 90 days to take the oath of office before the register of deeds. With the August 1, 2020, sunset date of Senate Bill 704 approaching, the General Assembly passed and the Governor signed this legislation pushing out the sunset dates of both provisions.
Read the bill text.