Remote Notarization: What You Need to Know

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted more states, including Minnesota, to pass legislation permitting online notarization services for legal documents that require a notary to be present to witness the signing. The practice is popular among notaries and signers alike. However, it raises questions about who offers such services and what technology is involved. Barna, Guzy & Steffen now offers these services to our clients. Read our blog as we discuss what you need to know about remote notarization. What is remote notarization? Remote notarization, also known as webcam notarization or virtual notarization, is the process of appearing before a notary at the time of the signing via the Internet instead of making a physical appearance. Remote notarization is not the same thing as electronic notarization or eNotarization. This involves documents that are notarized in electronic form but still require the signer to be physically present before a notary. What documents can be notarized remotely? Virtually all documents that transfer an interest in real estate require that the signer’s signature be notarized. Affidavits and court documents generally require this process as well as estate planning documents. This can mean making a special trip to an office to find a notary – and how to safely handle this in current times when in person meetings…