Notary Law Update: WV Governor Executive Order 11-20
State: West Virginia
Summary:West Virginia Governor Justice issues an executive order temporarily suspending the personal appearance rule for notarizations.
Signed:
March 25, 2020
Effective:
March 25, 2020
Chapter: N/A
Affects:All West Virginia Notaries Public.
Changes:
- Temporarily suspends W. Va. Code Section 39-4-6 requiring the personal appearance of an individual for a notarial act that relates to a statement made in or a signature executed on a record.
Analysis:In one of the shortest executive orders issued by a state governor to date during the COVID-19 pandemic, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice temporarily suspends the personal appearance requirement for most notarizations. It applies specifically to notarial acts in which an individual makes a statement in or executes a signature on a record (document or electronic record). That is the extent of the suspension. It applies only for the duration of the state of emergency.
Read the executive order.