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2022 Notary Legislation: Technology, Notary fees, interpreters addressed in new state laws

2022 in large numbers on top of a faint pattern of icons

In this year’s Notary legislative and regulatory session, the most common trend was focusing on technology issues affecting Notaries. Several states introduced new laws authorizing remote notarization or tackling other technology related issues such as electronic documents and in-person electronic notarizations. Other states increased the maximum fees Notaries can charge, and one state, Colorado, now allows interpreters to be used during notarizations for hearing-impaired signers. Read more about these new state Notary laws below.

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New 2022 Notary technology laws

Continuing a trend from 2021, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Vermont enacted laws permitting remote notarizations this year. 2022 forever shifted the discussion from the “haves” — the jurisdictions with a remote notarization statute — to the “have nots” — the jurisdictions without one. The states now that have not enacted a remote notarization statute are California, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

Two states amended their remote notarization laws. Florida updated its laws to clarify procedures for registering, performing and recording remote notarial acts. Maryland also enacted a bill to further clarify rules for performing remote notarizations.

While these legislative enactments were certainly noteworthy, there were many additional jurisdictions that adopted permanent rules for in-person electronic notarization, remote notarization, or both. These include: Arizona, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, and West Virginia.

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Higher fees for Maryland and Rhode Island Notaries

In addition to new remote notarization laws, Maryland and Rhode Island significantly raised the maximum fees their Notaries may charge. For traditional pen-and-paper notarizations and notarizations of multiple copies of records, Maryland increased the fee Notaries may charge from $4 to $6. More significantly, Maryland raised the maximum fee for remote notarizations from $4 to $25. Rhode Island Notaries may now charge up to $25 for both traditional and remote notarizations.

Icon illustrating hearing impairment

Colorado now allows interpreters for hearing-impaired signers

Prior to this year, only Arizona and Mississippi allowed notaries to use interpreters for communicating with a signer during a notarization. Colorado adopted a new administrative rule this year allowing an interpreter to be used for a signer who is deaf, hearing impaired or deafblind (affected by a combination of hearing and vision loss). The interpreter must be certified to perform sign language interpretation and cannot have a disqualifying interest in the notarization.

You can find the latest information on state Notary laws and administrative rules in the NNA’s searchable New Notary Laws database.


David Thun is the Assistant Managing Editor with the National Notary Association.


Related Articles:

Remote Notarization: What You Need To Know

View All: Laws & Regulations

31 Comments

Add your comment

Nathalie Grisoni

12 Dec 2022

It's good to know Thank

Dolores Palma

12 Dec 2022

I paid my tuition long time ago and I never received any think . You guys didn't extend my 4 years diploma and also didn't refund my money. I want to know what happened

June Veasley

12 Dec 2022

Thank you. This was very informative.

Indiana V Somoza

12 Dec 2022

Very good to know that. Thanks

Auxiliadora Gutierrez

12 Dec 2022

I is always good to know as well does made sense thank for the information.

Michele Lynn Salvi

12 Dec 2022

Good to know, but How about Florida?

Etta Johnson

12 Dec 2022

Thank you for the information!

Stephanie Ann Commandest

13 Dec 2022

Very informative. Thanks.

Donna Martin

13 Dec 2022

I want to retire my notary commission. I am no longer doing this.

National Notary Association

13 Dec 2022

Hello. If you can tell us what state you are commissioned in, we'll be happy to provide you with more information.

Barbara

13 Dec 2022

Funny thing.. I'm actually a nationally certified sign language interpreter. I have this information in all of my profiles, and have never been called upon to do a closing in sign language. This surprises me, since I live in an area that has a decent sized Deaf/Hard of Hearing Community. Who knows! Maybe someday. :)

Barbara

13 Dec 2022

I should also add that I'm a LSA for 12 years now (in case that was not assumed). I hope to be able to provide access to Deaf/Hard of Hearing consumers someday, and conduct a closing in their language. I also hope that other states will follow Colorado's example and add legislation to broaden access where there may not be Nationality Certified Sign Language Interpreters, who are also Notary Signing Agents, at the ready.

dmartinez84@phs.org

13 Dec 2022

Can you send rules in New Mexico please?

National Notary Association

14 Dec 2022

Hello. You can find information on New Mexico Notary laws and rules here: https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/news/us-notary-reference

latonyaw8@icloud.com

14 Dec 2022

Have anyone got any Loan Signing assignment since you been signed up with National Notary. I know they say we are on a Website to be called I was just asking has anyone been called.

Gloria Marshall

15 Dec 2022

Información for the state of Texas

National Notary Association

16 Dec 2022

Hello. Please see here for more information on Texas Notary laws: https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/news/state-notary-laws

Miriam

15 Dec 2022

Latonyaw8@icloud. I one who has not rec'd a single call since I signed up with NNA.

Dorethea Walker

17 Dec 2022

No I haven't received any signings. I'm also on Yelp and haven't received any signings. I don't know if I will pay for this service next year. It doesn't seem to be panning out. If anyone knows any way of helping me please reach out.

LaTosha

23 Dec 2022

How can New York City Notaries advocate to receive a higher fee? $2 and $3 is extremely low, when states like California and Florida receive $15 for each signature. I take my duties as a Notary Public very serious and look at it as a great accomplishment, but these notary fees are drastically low, yet everything in NY is extremely expensive.

National Notary Association

27 Dec 2022

Hello. Your best course would be to contact the state lawmaker that represents your area to share your views and tell them you support a fee increase for Notaries.

Pearl Louise Schell

24 Dec 2022

Thanks so much

Christine Hinzman

02 Jan 2023

This was great information!

Patricia Wolfram

06 Jan 2023

thank you for the information. i like to see more information for notaries more often.

Sandra S Wilcox Williams Smith

20 Jan 2023

Good data to know Thanks!

wiseoneheart@yahoo.com

27 Jan 2023

What are the what are fees in Missouri?

National Notary Association

30 Jan 2023

Hello. The maximum fees that a Missouri Notary may charge for a notarial act are (RSMo 486.685.2): For an acknowledgment: $5 per signature; For a jurat: $5 per signature; For s signature witnessing: $5 per signature; For a copy certification: $1 per page certified with a minimum total charge of $3. A Notary may charge the maximum fee, charge less than the maximum fee, or waive the fee (RSMo 486.685.1).

frank j barrere

31 Jan 2023

Alabama changed the marriage law by edict of the AG. ONLY Alabama notaries can do the docs, docs can only be completed in Alabama. This is outside of the original law and has not been changed on the probate web site. The NNA should ID this problem.

Lorna

05 Feb 2023

I live in California, We have a newly elected SOS, I just wanted to know how long do it take to receive my commission? It’s been almost two months.

National Notary Association

14 Mar 2023

Hi Lorna, thanks for your question. You can find more information on the California Secretary of State's current processing times here: https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/processing-times/

Sarah Williams

19 Jun 2023

Good information!

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