01/26/2022
Remote online notarization (RON) refers to the process of having a state-licensed notary public notarize a document remotely through the use of electronic signature, identity verification, audio-visual and electronic notarial journal and record keeping technologies.
For anyone who has had to locate and visit a notary public to sign a document, the convenience of RON is obvious. But there are other benefits that RON offers over in-person, paper-based notarization, including:
Increased access to notarial services
Security and enforceability
Reduced risk of identity fraud
Accustomed to the convenience that’s followed the rise of electronic signature technology, many have grown frustrated with the traditional paper-based, in-person process of notarization. But now, through RON technology, notarization is experiencing its own digital upgrade.
Using RON, notaries and the industries that employ them are reducing the time it takes to deliver services to their clients and complete authorized transactions. In addition to making business more efficient and improving the customer experience, RON helps mitigate risk and fraud throughout the notarization process. Many states have already adopted RON legislation, and the trend has only accelerated since many people were forced to work remotely and socially distance.
In this blog, we walk through everything you need to know about the new shift toward RON, from relevant regulations to exactly how it works. The questions we cover include:
What is remote online notarization (RON)?
What are the general criteria for performing RON?
What are the benefits of using RON?
Is RON technology legal and secure?
Which types of documents can I notarize with RON?
What is remote online notarization (RON)?
RON is the process of notarizing a document remotely through the use of electronic signature, identity verification, audio-visual and electronic notarial journal and record keeping technologies. These technologies enable notaries to notarize securely while also saving time and travel for themselves and the parties involved. Instead of meeting in a physical location to sign a paper document, the notary public and the signer can conduct a notarial act on their devices from wherever they happen to be located, as long as their state laws permit.
What are the general criteria for performing RON?
More and more states are authorizing the use of RON, a trend that has only accelerated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The criteria for performing RON varies slightly by state, but most legislation includes the following mandates:
Notary registration with the state
Use of audio-visual communication technology
Utilization of credential analysis technology to verify government-issued ID
Application of electronic signatures and electronic seals
Reliance on recordings, electronic journaling (i.e. digital audit trail creation) and storage
Adherence to common data privacy principles
What are the benefits of using RON?
RON offers numerous benefits over in-person notarization, including:
Convenience and increased access: With RON, notaries don’t need to gather in the same location as signers to provide notarial services. By removing this barrier, RON makes notarization more accessible to people who lack adequate transportation, live in remote areas, have non-traditional work schedules, or have health issues that confine them to their home.
Fraud minimization: Of course, notarization is meant to ensure that the person signing a document is who they say they are. RON takes authentication even further than in-person notarization by using established identity proofing technologies, including:
Identity verification: Signers present a government-issued ID to the camera on their device. The RON solution captures an image and verifies it against public and private data sources. The ID’s visual, physical and cryptographic security features are confirmed as well, lending to a more sophisticated process than an in-person review by a notary without relevant experience in this area.
Knowledge-based authentication (KBA): In many states, signers must correctly answer several questions from their personal background, which are then verified from a third-party database. This adds another layer of identifying the signer’s identity prior to joining the audio-visual session.
Security and enforceability: RON employs a few additional security features to help show that a signed and notarized document is authentic.
Tamper-evident seal: An automatically-generated digital seal helps authorities determine whether a document notarized with RON was altered.
Robust audit trail: The electronic journal and audio-visual recording serve as evidence of a completed notarial act.
Is RON technology legal and secure?
Just as electronic signature standards have changed over time with the emergence of new technologies, standards governing notarization are continually evolving. Across the U.S., RON is gaining traction as a convenient and secure way to notarize documents and agreements. That said, laws can vary between states, so it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the nuances surrounding this burgeoning process and consult with local counsel as necessary.
Are all electronic or remote notarizations RON?
Not all electronic or remote notarizations classify as RON. Additional notarizations methods have emerged alongside developments in electronic signature and audio-visual technology. The two most notable are:
In-person electronic notarization (IPEN): IPEN was the first foray into electronic notarization. While, like RON, it involves the use of electronic signature and notarization, it differs in that it doesn’t take place remotely; the notary has to be in the same location as the signer.
Remote ink-signed notarization (RIN): While the notary and the signer do not have to be in the same location under RIN, the signer does have to sign a physical, paper document, which the notary observes via audio-visual technology. The signer then mails the document to the notary, who authorizes it and sends it back to the appropriate party.
