AnalysisTennessee Governor Bill Lee has issued an executive order allowing relaxed rules for remote notarizations from April 9 through May 18, 2020. Tennessee has a statute (Online Notary Public Act) and administrative rules that provide more stringent requirements for “remote online notarization.” These laws are temporarily suspended to allow for the rules in this Executive Order to be implemented. If a Tennessee Online Notary Public wishes to notarize a document under the Online Notary Public Act, the Notary may do so, but any Tennessee Notary Public – Online Notary Public or not – may perform a remote notarization under the temporary rules.
Read the Executive Order.
- On April 27, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 28, extending the commissions of Notaries and Online Notaries (see Changes, numbers 15-17, above).
- On May 12, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 37, extending the remote notarization provisions through June 30, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, and/or Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020 (see Changes, #7, above). The Order also extended the commissions of Notaries and Online Notaries that expired bewteen March 12 and June 15, 2020, to June 30, 2020.
- On June 29, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 52, extending the remote notarization provisions through August 29, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020, and/or Executive Order No. 52 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated June 29, 2020 (see Changes, #7, above). The Order did not extend Notary and Online Notary commissions further.
- On August 28, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 61, extending the remote notarization provisions through September 30, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020, Executive Order No. 52 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and/or Executive Order No. 61 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee dated August 28, 2020 (see Changes, #7, above).
- On September 29, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 64, extending the remote notarization provisions through October 30, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020, Executive Order No. 52 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Executive Order No. 61, and/or Executive Order No. 64 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee dated September 29, 2020 (see Changes, #7, above).
- On October 28, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 66, extending the remote notarization provisions through December 29, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020, Executive Order No. 52 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Executive Order No. 61, Executive Order No. 64 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee dated September 29, 2020, and/or Executive Order No. 66 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated October 28, 2020 (see Changes, #7, above).
- On December 22, 2020, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 72, extending the remote notarization provisions through December 29, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020, Executive Order No. 52 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Executive Order No. 61, Executive Order No. 64 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee dated September 29, 2020, and/or Executive Order No. 66 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated October 28, 2020, and/or Executive Order No. 72 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated December 22, 2020 (see Changes, #7, above).
- On February 26, 2021, Governor Lee issued Executive Order 79, extending the remote notarization provisions through December 29, 2020. The Order also modified the statement that must appear on each document notarized by videoconference under the Order stating that it was executed in compliance with, as applicable, Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020, Executive Order No. 37 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated May 12, 2020, Executive Order No. 52 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Executive Order No. 61, Executive Order No. 64 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee dated September 29, 2020, and/or Executive Order No. 66 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated October 28, 2020, Executive Order No. 72 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated December 22, 2020, and/or Executive Order No 79 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated February 26, 2021 (see Changes, #7, above).