10 Reasons Notaries Should Offer Remote Online Notarization

Since the beginning of covid-19 lockdowns, remote online notarization or RON has quickly become a popular topic among professionals in the real estate, mortgage, title, automotive, legal, and other industries. 

The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the largest professional organization for workers in the title insurance industry, released a survey showing that adoption of RON in real estate closings jumped 547% in 2020. Of course, much of that activity was out of necessity, but some of it continues as the benefits of RON become clearer.

Here are some of the ways that remote notarization benefits notaries

1. Convenience 

RON provides an obvious convenience for the consumer, but notaries reap the benefits of convenience too. Getting paid for general notary work or loan signings no longer requires scheduling appointments with driving time in mind, traveling long distances, logging miles, and adding up traveling fees. Simply log into your computer, greet your client over video conferencing, and complete the notarial act. 

2. Safety 

Coronavirus concerns still linger for many, especially as new variants are discovered. Notaries have more options to keep themselves and their clients safe by offering remote-based services. For some notaries, meeting with signers over video instead of traveling to unfamiliar places to meet strangers makes them feel safer. Reduced time in the car also means notaries are less likely to be involved in vehicle accidents. 

3. Reach more clients

According to most state statutes, RON-approved notaries must be located within their commissioning state when completing a notarization, but the signer can be anywhere in the world. This means your potential client base is no longer restricted to one geographic location! 

Scheduling a full day of RON appointments instead of driving to clients to perform traditional notarizations means more money in less time. 

A variety of notary and adjacent services is one the ways to create a successful notary business. With RON, notaries can reimagine how they will provide these services. 

4. Stay organized 

RON platforms like ProperSign offer electronic journals, scheduling tools, and tagging templates to make the notary workflow easy and consistent. Having an all-in-one solution improves and speeds up the overall experience for notaries and their clients. 

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5. Personal Appearance won’t be an issue

Some employers or clients may make requests that bend the rules, like notarizing documents when the signer can’t personally appear before the notary. This is one of the ways notaries can get into major trouble. In a traditional notarial ceremony, everyone must be physically present, but busy employers or clients might ask to do it over the phone. Sometimes these requests stem from an innocent ignorance, while others have fraudulent intentions. 

With RON, notaries can accommodate those who are out of town or too busy to meet in person without compromising the integrity of the notarial act. 

6. More potential for career growth

One of the pros of being a notary is that it enhances a resume and makes those with a current commission more appealing to employers. Being RON certified is a bonus. As more companies make work from home a permanent option for employees, businesses in states with RON approval are likely to seek out notaries who can accommodate quick remote notarizations. 

RON is beneficial for those doing general notary work for full-time employers and independent notary signing agents. 

7. It’s great for loan signings 

With refinancing and home sales remaining strong, real estate and title professionals continue to promote and use remote notarization, especially for seller documents and all-cash buyers. Real estate investors are ideal clients for RON. While the technology to provide the right infrastructure and cross-collaboration is still being developed, more lenders are building out their systems to implement a fully digital closing experience. In fact, lenders who prioritize digital solutions are taking the top spots for mortgage originations. 

It’s slow and steady, but all signs point to continued growth and opportunity for RON-approved Notary Signing Agents. 

8. Reduce waste and improve operating budgets

Remote online notarization uses digital documents. Some papering out may be needed for loan signings, but the overall reduction in paper, printing, and postage will save trees and put more paper back into your wallet. These cost reductions can help offset the start-up costs associated with becoming RON enabled. 

When choosing a RON platform for your notary business, the price of the software is only one consideration. Some companies charge notaries when their client fails a KBA. ProperSign doesn’t. 

Notaries must also have a digital certificate and eSeal before conducting a RON. Some software providers require notaries to purchase these items separately. ProperSign users have access to a digital certificate and eSeal as part of their subscription. 

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9. Leverage technology to deter fraud 

New technology often creates lots of questions and concerns about security. In addition to state minimum requirements for ID proofing, RON providers like ProperSign are dedicated to creating a secure signing environment where the identities of all parties are verified with more than one method.

Digital certificates build trust in remote online notarizations. Knowledge-based authentication, verifying government-issued identification, and two-factor authentication form a multi-layer shield to protect against fraud. 

10. ProperSign makes it easy to start

ProperSign offers notaries and other businesses a low start-up option to test out RON for their business. Once approved, notaries can begin with training files, read help articles, and request demos from our support team to better understand how to use the tool. 

The ALTA survey also found that RON is most popular in Florida, Texas, and Virginia, and trends in Midwestern states are ticking up. 

Title and mortgage professionals are so excited about RON that they are also pushing for nationwide adoption of the technology with the SECURE Notarization Act. If passed, notaries across the country could begin offering RON to their clients. 

Even if you aren’t working in a state that allows remote notarization or are unsure if RON is right for your current market, now is a good time to learn more about the technology and prepare for how it may impact your business in the future. 

This content is provided for informational purposes only. PropLogix, LLC (PLX) is not a law firm; this content is not intended as legal advice and may not be relied upon as such. PLX makes no representations as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of this content. PLX may reference or incorporate information from third-party sources, upon which a citation or a website URL shall be provided for such source. PLX does not endorse any third party or its products or services. Any comments referencing or responding to this content may be removed in the sole discretion of PLX.