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How to Become an Online Notary
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Even notaries may be asking, "are online notaries legal?" The answer is YES, and you should take advantage of the growing trend of remote online notarizations, RON. RON offers notaries an incredible opportunity to add a new service offering and grow their business. However, it is not simply jumping on a computer and performing notarizations.
To become a remote online notary, you must have a traditional Notary Public license. Once you obtain a license and take the steps necessary to be an online notary, you must get your eSeal and digital certificate. Most importantly, you must choose a RON platform that meets your needs. Notaries with questions about RON platforms should call Notarize Genie to learn more, (800) 381-8240.
Becoming a Traditional Notary
Before becoming an online notary, you must have a Notary Public Commission. In some states, you must first obtain the traditional license before applying for approval to perform online notarizations. However, other states allow you to apply for a Notary commission and for authorization to perform online notarizations simultaneously.
While each state has its own requirements to be a traditional notary, most have the following criteria in common:
- 1. Minimum age of 18 years old
- 2. Being a resident of the state where you wish to perform notarizations
- 3. Have no criminal record
Once you become a notary, you can start notarizations and then work to become an approved Remote Online Notary.
Receive Approval To Perform Remote Online Notarizations
Once you have your traditional Notary license, it is time to become an Online Notary! Similar to traditional Notary licenses, each state has different requirements for becoming an online Notary.
Do States Require Special Courses or Classes to Become an Online Notary?
The answer lies in your location. Some states require special RON training, whereas other states do not. For example, Florida quires a certificate of completion from a two-hour in-person or online training course.
Do Notaries Have to Pass an Exam to Perform Online Notarizations?
Sticking with the theme, whether you have to pass an exam depends on where you live. Some states require notaries to pass an exam to ensure they understand RON procedures and the use of the technology. Indiana, Montana, Nevada, and Ohio all have exam requirements for online notaries.
Technology Requirements for Online Notaries
To ensure the validity of online notarizations, Notaries must have certain levels of technology. Online Notaries must have a computer, webcam, microphone, and a secure internet connection. Two-way audio and visual communication must be able to function on the Notary's computer. Notaries who use Notarize Genie's platform will comply with their state's technology requirements.
Some states require each notary to submit proof of training on their selected RON platform. If you live in one of these states, ensure you meet with the platform of your choice before beginning notarizations.
Most states require notaries to use electronic seals, electronic signatures, electronic journals, and digital certificates for their online notarizations.
What Are Electronic Signatures, Electronic Seals, and Digital Certificates?
With Online Notarizations utilizing an electronic document, it is impossible to use wet-ink to sign the actual document and for notaries to apply their traditional seal to the document.
It is necessary to have the electronic version of a signature, seal, and certificate. An electronic document makes it impossible to sign the actual document and for notaries to apply their seal to it.
What is An Electronic Signature?
An electronic signature is simply an electronic version of your signature. In all likelihood, you have used an electronic signature to sign documents. The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Act (ESIGN) is a federal law defining electronic signatures as "an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record." Essentially, as long as an electronic action is tied to a contract or record and intended to function as a signature, it is a valid electronic signature.
Notarize Genie requires signers to draw their signature with a mouse or finger if they use a mobile device. You may not upload a picture of your signature, and your electronic signature is not required to look like your "wet ink" signature.
What is an Electronic Seal
As notaries know, their seal is essential for completing a notarization, and it is no different for remote online notarizations. A seal shows the document is notarized and provides information about the notary performing the notarization. Without the seal, a document is not legally notarized and will not be effective for its intended purpose.
A traditional seal is a rubber stamp or embosser, which must be stored in a lockbox. However, an eSeal is an image file protected by password or two-factor authentication. Notaries can create an eSeal on Notarize Genie or purchase and download their seal from the National Notary Association.
What is a Digital Certificate?
Digital Certificates are unique to the remote online notarization world and do not have a counterpart in traditional notarizations. While some may think of the wording by the notary certifying the signer appeared before them as a certificate, the digital certificate is different than this. Digital certificates verify the notary's identity who electronically signs and seals a document, making the document tamper evident.
Unlike the electronic seal and electronic signature, the digital certificate is not visible on the document. Digital certificates are electronic encryption documents/files serving as digital identification.
Digital certificates work by utilizing private and public keys. When a notary digitally notarizes a document, the computer creates a combination of numbers and letters unique to the document and embeds it into the document, creating the public key. This algorithm is encrypted with the notary's private key, which outputs the document's digital signature. When a document is altered, it creates a new algorithm different from the one created by the notary's private key.
These certificates have advantages, including:
- 1. It binds the notary to the document, and they cannot deny performing the notarial act
- 2. It includes the date and time of the notarization
- 3. It makes it very difficult to forge the notarized document
- 4. It informs the recipients whether the document was subsequently modified after the notary signed the document
A trusted issuing authority issues the digital certificate, and the notary must renew them periodically every 1 to 5 years. Notaries can also purchase and download their digital certificates from the NNA, renewable every 1 or 3 years.
Online Notaries Should Pick a Safe and Secure Platform
Once you have your eSeal, electronic signature, and digital certificate, you can almost start notarizing documents remotely. The final step to notarizing documents is finding a remote online notarization platform. A good platform provider will comply with all the technical requirements and other state laws surrounding online notarizations.
Additionally, if you do not have a notary business built up yet, you want a platform that will bring clients to you. At Notarize Genie, we provide our notaries with the chance to be on-demand notaries, allowing us to match you with a signer coming to our site without a notary. This will enable you to make money while building your own online notary business.
Once you have an established notary business, Notarize Genie offers plans to notaries who bring their clients. These packages include discounts on stamps and access to witnesses.
How Remote Online Notarizations Work
Online notarizations utilize audio-video technology, which allows the signer " personally appear" before the notary from a remote location. The signer must upload the document electronically so the signer and notary can view it simultaneously on the screen.
The signer undergoes three-level identity verification, including traditional identity proofing, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), and credential analysis. Once the notary verifies the signer's identity, they complete the notarization over audio-video technology.
Get Started As A Remote Online Notary With Notarize Genie
As notaries ourselves, Notarize Genie was built to make the online notarization process easier for all involved. We want to provide an accessible platform for our notaries to use while maximizing their earning capacity!
Whether you are just starting or have a thriving notary business, check out Notarize Genie online at our website, www.notarizegenie.com, or call
