Technology disruptions are happening across industries and nobody is surprised that it’s happening so fast. Though technological innovations have enabled numerous industries to fast-track their causes, many did not think that much changes would come into the legal services. Since one of the foundations of legal services is authenticating a person’s claim, physical presence and verification have always been considered non-negotiable premises. Even with the advancements in technology and Internet services, legal services have until nowadapted to the changes much slowly than other industries.
However, things are slowly changing now. Changes have fast-tracked in 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic altering everything that was ‘normal’ just a year back. Today stepping outdoors, even for an important business is considered risky. Person-to-person contact has come down to the bare minimum and people now preferdoing their tasks online. This has given a much-needed boost for many legal services to go online, one such being the work of a notary officer.
The job of a notary was to sign documentsas a recognized authority verifying authenticity of people involved. The sign of a notary on an important legal document is considered enough prove of a person’s credentials. A person does need any additional lawyers to validate documents once a notary has signed. The job of a notary has always simplified legal hassles. Though a notary helps cut down few steps in a legal process, many would agree that even this is not hassle-free. Fixing an appointment with a recognized notary, getting every document verified and personally signed can be a time-consuming affair. But thanks to remote online notarization, this has become hassle-free and easy.
What is Remote Online Notarization (RON)?
According to US laws, notaries can now perform their duties remotely using real-time audio-visual channels. This is called Remote Online Notarization or as the abbreviation goes RON. The process is quite simple – the signer and the notary fix a time when both are online. Theycommunicate through video call where the notary verifies the person in front of the camera with the documents provided. The process is faster than what happens offline, there is no waiting time for the signer and it is all simplified.
Is RON Legal?
Many people question the authenticity of this online process since it almost seems to invalidate the very purpose of a notary – to physically verify a person and their documents. However, many states in the US have passed necessary laws validating the functioning of RON. It must be mentioned that a notary cannot go online unless the state they work from has passed the necessary laws. Currently RON is allowed in 29 states though almost all accept remotely notarized documents. Some states have recently allowed temporary remote notarization measures because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
How Does RON Work?
Though the online process of notarizing a document or will isn’t difficult, there are still a few steps that you must be aware of. We shall be talking about them below.
- The first thing a signer must do, quite naturally is contact a notary. You should get in touch with someone who offers online services. Alternatively you can also get in touch with an agency that directly connects you to notaries and serves as an easy channel of communication between the two of you.
- If you are connecting through an agency, you must first upload your documents, get them verified and then you will be connected with a notary. You can also get in touch with a notary who doesn’t work with an agency. Even then this step remains the same. Please note that you have to typically upload documents in PDF formats.
- Once the documents are verified, a time is fixed for the signer and the notary to come online. It is most common for both parties to connect online via video-conferencing as this allows the notary to verify the signer’s identification quite personally. During the video call, the signer must have all documents ready along with identification proof. The notary may ask questions regarding your personal and credit history. The notary will also view remotely as the signer signs documents electronically.
- Once the notary is satisfied about the signer’s identify, they will proceed towards digital signatures. Since everything here is happening digitally, the signatures are also electronically done. The notary also puts an electronic seal to the document.
- Before ending the session, the Notary is mandated to records the proceedings in their journal and they also retain the audio-visual session.
- At the end, the remotely notarized copy of the document is given to the signer.
Why You Should Go for RON?
RON has several advantages which simply cannot be ignored. Some of them are –
- Remote Online Notarization is valid in all states. Though not all states currently allow notaries to verify documents remotely, signed documents from authorized states are admissible all over the country.
- When associated with the right agency, the process is safe and secure. Reliable agencies invariably adhere to government laws and guidelines.
- Associating with an agency also means you are connected to reliable and the best notaries in your area. For every other query, you can stay connected with the agency.
- The entire process is fast-tracked and verification happens quickly. There is almost no waiting time here.
- Not only do you get the opportunity to complete the process remotely, but also have anytime, anywhere access to the notarized documents.
As all services move online, there is absolutely no reason whynotarization should not happen online. It is high time that you too start availing these online services and simplify the otherwise complicated process. The advisable thing to do is to get in touch with a notary agency that will process and verify your documents and also connect you to a well-known notary. However, it must be understood that notary service providers are not legal advisors. They are not associated with lawyers and are not authorized to provide you legal advice.Their job is just to help notarize your documents and connect you with a notary.
