How to Become an Online Notary Guide
Considering Becoming An Online Notary?
If you’re already a notary public, you’ve gone through your state’s process and paid the fees. You meet people in person and verify their signatures on documents as needed.
But in 2020, the need for remote online notaries has dramatically increased with the advent of COVID-19’s mandatory quarantines. If you’re not doing online notarizations, you’re missing out.
There is a huge demand for online notary services right now. Businesses and people need notary publics online to comply with stay-at-home orders and still take care of business. Can you help them?
OneNotary is a remote online notarization platform that lets you start notarizing free and begin earning immediately. It’s a fully secure solution with no additional education needed. We handle all of the transaction costs so you can take care of your clients.
Why Become A Remote Online Notary?
Why wouldn’t you? Prior to COVID-19 more of everyday life has been transitioning to digital. Banking, shopping, and bill-paying are just some of the everyday things that are now quickly done online. Taking your notary business online now helps build your digital reputation and establishes your presence.
And for a client who needs your services? All they have to do is make a request, and we take care of the rest, wherever they are. OneNotary offers the services of a qualified online notary and all the support they need to complete their documentation.
As an online notary, you can also enjoy:
- Flexible hours
- Opportunities to serve more clients
- Earn more for the same work
- No commute if you work from your home office
- Decreased expenses
When in-person notarizations become obsolete, you’ll already be operating virtually. Check out this video to see how easy it is to offer online notarization.
Are Online Notaries Legal?
Yes, they are! But how online notarial services are conducted depends on where you are in the US. For instance, these states:
- Virginia
-
Texas
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Ohio
- Tennessee
- Florida
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Oklahoma
- North Dakota
- South Dakota (remote online notarization only for paper documents)
Already allow for online notary service.
Due to COVID-19, other states have issued temporary authorizations for remote online notarizations:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington state
- Washington DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
To begin offering remote online notarizations, check with your state’s board that governs notaries for requirements.
Even though these are temporary authorizations, many states are quickly passing laws to allow more people to become online notaries permanently. For instance, Louisiana’s new law takes effect on August 1, 2020. Maryland and Washington’s new laws take effect on October 1, 2020, and Alaska’s on January 1, 2021.
Other states are following suit to accommodate the needs for remote online notaries.
How To Get Something Notarized Online
For the client who doesn’t want to do an in-office visit, they can go online and do a search for an online notary company who can find a notary public in their state.
Once they’ve decided on a company, they will be required to upload a valid ID and the document they need notarized. The notary verifies the client’s ID, which includes asking public records questions.
Using your online notary platform, which includes video conferencing, you’ll witness the client’s signature in real-time, then notarize the document with your digital notary signature.
Once you complete the online notary signature, the client can then download their notarized document for saving, emailing and/or printing.
Become A Texas Notary Public Online
Texas permits an online notary to do the same notarial acts as a traditional notary. The only difference is that the transaction takes place remotely. Some of the things that a Texas notary can do include:
- Administration of oaths
- Taking depositions
- Accepting acknowledgments or proofs of written instruments
- Protesting instruments for those that are permitted, by law, to be protested
- Providing certification for documents that can’t be recorded in the public record
If you’re interested and want to know how to become a Texas notary online, the requirements are:
- A person over the age of 18
- No convictions for felonies of “crimes of moral turpitude”
There is no testing, but a $10,000 surety bond is required. You can become a remote online notarization service provider in Texas in a short time and be working with clients right away.
Other States Where You Can Become A Remote Online Notary
- In Florida, you must first be a traditional notary. You’ll need a $25,000 E&O insurance policy and a $25,000 surety bond as well. Additionally, you’ll need a technology compatible digital certificate, as well as an electronic seal and journal. Once you complete your application, you’ll submit your documentation with the required fees. To become a remote online notary, you must be at least 18, have no criminal record, and be a legal Florida state resident. There are vendors that meet Florida’s state requirements, but the state doesn’t provide a list of approved vendors.
- Like Florida, Nevada also requires you to be a traditional notary to become an online notary there. To become a notary, you’ll need to submit an application and pay the required fees. Nevada also requires a study course and an exam. A PDF file is uploaded with the applicant’s electronic seal and signature from a state-approved provider. Like many states, you must be at least 18, a Nevada state resident, not a felon, and never have had a notary commission revoked in any other state. A $10,000 surety bond satisfies coverage for both the traditional and online notary. Nevada doesn’t require E&O insurance, but it does recommend it.
- Indiana is another state that requires an exam to become a traditional notary before you can become an online notary. You’ll need to choose a state-approved provider for your online notary services as well. You must be over 18, a legal US citizen and state resident, or principally employed in the state. Indiana also requires disclosure of any previous disciplinary issues or revocations.
If you’re interested in providing an online notary service, check with your state’s board that governs notaries to find out what’s required. You may be able to become a remote online notary easily and begin providing online notary services right away.
OneNotary means you can begin earning quickly as a remote online notary. Start with a free account and use our simple, intuitive platform to become a remote online notarization service provider.
What You Need For Online Notarizations
Of course, you’ll need to be a traditional notary public according to the laws in your state. The general requirements are that you are over the age of 18, a legal resident of the state, and have no felony convictions.
- You’ll be required to fill out an application, and pay a fee. Part of becoming a notary may include study courses and an exam, but not all states require it.
- Once you’ve completed the requirements, you’ll need to purchase a seal, Errors & Omissions (E&O) policy, as well as a surety bond. Your state may also have additional requirements to become a remote online notary.
- You’ll also need the technology to hold online sessions. This includes a desktop or laptop computer, Internet service, and peripherals like a webcam and microphone. Some states may have specific requirements for your office technology. You’ll also need an online storage medium to store all of your notarizations. OneNotary offers ten-year storage for your video notarizations.
- Some states require you to have a digital certificate along with your electronic seal, signature, and notary journal. A remote online notary is simply the digital version of the traditional notary with paper-based documentation and records.
- After properly identifying the signer, the notary makes sure he or she understands what’s expected and what they are signing. The electronic signature replaces the pen-and-ink notarization along with the digital stamp. Payment is processed once the transaction is completed.
Although it isn’t a requirement, as a notary public, you can also become a Notary Signing Agent. NSAs handle more complicated real estate transactions. You’ll be required to undergo routine background screenings, but you’ll have the opportunity to earn more.
How Much Can You Make?
Start by signing up for your free OneNotary account to get started. Online customers pay $25 for an online notarization with one seal. With our platform, you can make:
- $10 for the first notarization plus $3 for each additional notarization
- After you’ve completed 100 notarizations, your earnings change to $6 for requests on the platform and $12 for your own clients
Other available platforms can cost as much as $500 just to get started. Many don’t offer an intuitive user experience. But there are no setup or monthly fees to use OneNotary, and it’s simple to use.
You can work with your own clients as well as with clients from OneNotary. Our system makes remote online notarizations fast and easy so you can do more of them in a day.
Ready To Become An Online Notary?
Notaries have a choice when it comes to finding their remote online notarization service provider.
OneNotary makes it easy to start doing online notarizations immediately. Get started quickly and easily with a free account and earn more money for every transaction. We handle all the transaction costs with no monthly or hidden fees.
There’s no additional education required. When you sign with OneNotary, you’ll also have ten years of storage for all your online notarization video sessions.
Begin working as an online notary today in just a few minutes when you sign up for a free account. Not yet ready? Check out our free webinars to learn more about this exciting opportunity.
