More States Enact Remote Notarization, Considering Bills In 2019

Updated 11-17-21. Please see our Remote Notarization FAQ and our NNA Knowledge Center RON resources page for the latest information on state RON laws. Additional states have passed remote notarization laws since the initial publication of this article.

7 more states — Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Washington — have passed laws authorizing remote notarizations, joining other states such as Idaho, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah that approved the process in 2019. 22 states in total have now authorized remote notarization in the United States.

Lawmakers in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and South Carolina have also proposed remote notarization bills in 2019.

If enacted, these states will authorize Notaries to perform notarial acts for signers using online audiovisual communication technology.

“I can’t think of a single legislative issue that has garnered more interest among the Notary community in recent years,” said Bill Anderson, NNA Vice President of Government Affairs.

At press time, five states — Nevada, Minnesota, Montana, Texas and Virginia — are operational. Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio and Utah are scheduled to come online in the near future.

Indiana, South Dakota, Tennessee and Vermont's remote notarization laws go into effect as of July 1, 2019. Notaries in these states should contact their state regulating agency for updates when remote notarization services will be fully available.

You can use the NNA's Notary Policy Tracker to track remote online notarization legislation in your state, and be sure to check the Notary Bulletin for the latest news and updates.

David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association.

Additional Resources:

Model eNotarization Act of 2017

33 Comments

Add your comment

Ardel Richter

01 Mar 2019

“I can’t think of a single legislative issue that has garnered more interest among the Notary community in recent years,” said Bill Anderson, NNA Vice President of Government Affairs. And we're all opposed, but NNA isn't. Wondering what the NNA is going to do for membership when this becomes nationwide? How many (or few) notaries working at minimum wage as employees 24/7/365 of a big bucks co. will it take to eliminate the traditional notary?

Julia B

04 Mar 2019

I'm discontinuing my notary public license. The rules become more lax but the penalties increase. Just not worth the potential legal trouble this can produce. Let someone else worry about it.

Linda Millstone

I am not in favor of remote notarizations. How am I to verify the person whose signature I'm notarizing if I can't physically inspect their ID. How many cases of identity fraud will it take to prove that this is NOT a good idea.

Ron Mier

Please continue business as usual until this actually becomes implemented in California. No need to become discouraged or feel uncomfortable in eventually adopting this new (potential) form of notarization. You may initially oppose this new technology but let’s wait and experience the training that will sufficiently address legal concerns, questions and issues that will have already been identified in those states currently using this technology. Perhaps you, as a notary in California, will confidently exceed expectations in using Remote Notarizations.

Mr. Oswald J. Bien-Aime

I am in favor of remote notarizations; you have several classes of people you really can't physically touch (i.e. those with auto-immune disease, the incarcerated persons and maybe a few who might prefer non contact with the notary.) Keep in mind more has to develop before it's an actuality.

Geneva Wilkerson

I appreciate the comments of those who see the "dark side" of this. Penalties are increasing. Not fair.

Chris Parreira

I believe remote notarizing is a bad idea. This will lead to more fraud. How am I supposed to closely inspect their ID? This is not for me. What is going to happen with "personal appearance"? This is leading the notary business to a disaster.

Jazmin Cavillo

**In California** You need a thumbprint whenever you have a real property transactions (Deeds, Quitclaim Deeds, Deed of Trust, P.O.A.) I wonder will they make the signor go to a live scan fingerprinting services!?!)

Matt Miller

05 Mar 2019

My name is Matt Miller, I am the organizer of Oppose AB 199 - The California Online Notary Act of 2019. AB 199 is a bill by Assemblymember Calderon that could amend current law and mandate higher notarial costs and jeopardize the careers of tens of thousands of notaries all over California. Join the growing list of organizations opposing AB 199. https://patch.com/california/san-francisco/oppose-ab-199-california-online-notary-act-2019

Susan Cochran

07 Mar 2019

I live in Indiana and these services are not yet approved. What are the penalties in California and other states? Want to know what we might expect here....

National Notary Association

Hello. You can use the NNA's Notary Law database to look up information about Notary laws and bills in other states: https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/news/law-updates

Linda A Adams

13 Mar 2019

Susan Cochran, remote notarizations Public Law 218 was signed by the governor in April 2017. This legislation is scheduled to be phased in later in 2019. Check out this link for more information. http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/bills/senate/539#digest-heading Former Indiana notary for 4 years, prior to that Michigan notary for almost 10 years.

Jena Renee Osorio

18 Mar 2019

I live in California. If the law does pass... What technology is available to us notaries to perform virtual notarial acts?

davesorensen200@yahoo.com

08 Apr 2019

IT IS BECOMING CLEARER DAY BY DAY. THE CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL FOR ALL AREAS, ESPECIALLY SERVICE IS TO REMOVE THE HUMAN FACTOR. I.A ALGORITHMS DON'T TAKE A DAY OFF. IT ALSO IS MORE OBVIOUS THAT GOVERNMENT IS HERE TO FACILITATE LARGE COMPANIES IN FAVOR OF THE INDIVIDUAL. NEW WORLD. LIKE TRYING TO BUILD UP A SMALL BUSINESS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND RETIREMENT. AND WHAM ONE STROKE OF LEGISLATIVE PE AND THE SMALL BUSINESS PERSON IS QUASHED. ENJOY

Michael W Blackburn

Every say's they are concerned with Fraud, yet they want to support online notarization. How can we be sure the signer is not under the influence of others? How can we secure a finger print? How can we properly inspect the I.D. to insure it has not been tampered with? We should all be very concerned with this, and NNA should be leading a battle against it.

BJ Waters

Bad idea. I can only see doing remote notarizations for people I already know. For the general public, I won't do it.

Ellie NeSmith

09 Apr 2019

I absolutely and categorically will NOT endorse any online notarizations!! I will only notarize for people I know and work with! This idea is absolutely ludicrous an absurd! With all the online fraud, identity theft, money theft, you think I will put my name on this ridiculous law?! No! Nada! Never EVER!! Do NOT even ask me....NO!!

Elaine Wright Harris

11 Apr 2019

I feel that technology is here to stay and it's to our benefit to embrace technology and see what we can do to make it better. I look at this as "the glass being half full"; not "half empty".

Theodore M Nizza

I worked for a major insurance company which required my becoming a notary for the business. When I retired from the company, I decided to retain my commission, and only engage in it part time. If and when Florida enacts a remote notarization law, I WILL resign my commission. With all the online fraud, identity theft, phishing and scams, it just isn't worth my taking a chance for a part time income that I don't have to rely on.

Mary wiegard

22 Apr 2019

It will put mobile notariea out of business as will as the fraud possibilities

Aida Gonzalez

29 Apr 2019

I really don't like the system of remote notarization, if every day find more and more frauds, will be much more frauds thru this new system. Notarization has to be in person. Technology is good but not all the time works on legal procedures. I'm NOT in agreed.

Linda Sheffield

04 Jun 2019

Where do we learn exactly how to carry out a remote notarization. I think it is important to know exactly what it entails before making a decision as to whether or not I will do it. Though I must say, it really does sound like it would greatly increase the risk for the notary.

06 Jun 2019

Hello. Each of the states that authorizes remote notarization procedures (Nevada, Minnesota, Montana, Texas and Virginia are currently operational) has its own individual rules and regulations for how remote notarizations are performed. You can find more information at our state Notary laws summary page: https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/reference-library/state-law-summaries

Teresa Gyure

01 Jul 2019

How can you approve of and promote RON. Your first rule of ID, that you constantly push, PHYSICALLY hold the ID is impossible. Nothing further needed to be said. TgTfdT

Dina

This does not make any sense at all. It’s impossible to get a thumbprint, it’s impossible to have a person physically appear in front of you. When you check a persons identity vacation you need to check out their height weight etc. this contradicts everything we learned in our Notary classes.. i’ll stick in person notarization ONLY!!

D Dennis

Responsible notaries will refuse to go through with remote notarizations! PERIOD. It’s simply irresponsible and goes against the oath we take!!

Brenda Rios

What do I have to do to be part of this, I live in Florida or who do I contact?

03 Jul 2019

Hello. Florida's new remote notarization law takes effect January 1, 2020. You can contact the Florida Department of State at 1-850-245-6975 or the Florida Governor's office at 1-850-922-6400 for updates and information after the remote notarization law goes into effect.

If you want your state to remain one of the 28 where RON remains illegal, join the resistance. Your voice matters! Matt at mmmobilenotary dot net

Lucille Wray

I have been a mobile notary for 14 years now. I enjoy being a mobile notary and having my own small business. I am semi retired and I need the income I get along with my social security to pay my living expenses. I think remote notarizations will not only be a disaster for everyone trying to make a living as a mobile notary it will be opening the doors for major fraud. Enough is enough with this ridiculous electronic notarization. I am absolutely against it and all notarizations should be done in person only as it has always been. As many other notaries have said and I agree this remote notarization must be stopped before it comes into effect in California and eliminated in all states where it has passed. This will not only destroy our profession as notaries but it will effect the income that many of us depend on to support ourselves. Let’s do what ever we can to not let this act pass. I hope the National Notary Association will help us save our notary businesses and let us know what we need to do and whom to contact to stop remote notarizations and save our professions as notaries nationwide.

B Tucker

Not in favor of remote notarizations at all! How will we get a thumbprint for real estate transactions.? I think there’s going to be more real estate and loan fraud if we do this. And of course we all know the notary is the one who gets sued!!! I’ll be retiring as soon as this happens in California 😩

Richard Jacoby

25 Jul 2019

One of the most foolish law proposals I’ve ever heard of. The notary will end up paying the penalty for this nonsense. We seem to come up with worse and worse ideas.

Jennifer Clark

27 Jul 2019

I read about “RON” on a promoted Twitter ad by Pavaso recently. This is yet another greedy tech start up with an idea to UBERize the notarization process. I’m a notary and highly oppose this new concept because I believe it had not been designed for the ease and convenience for the consumer. Big tech wants YOUR DATA because it’s BIG BUSINESS!

Required *

Name *

Email *(for verfication purposes only)

Comment *

Verify

All comments are reviewed and if approved, will display.

Leave a Comment