Is Remote Online Notarization Right For Me?
If you need important documents notarized, and are unable to leave your home due to any reason: medical, emotional, or just a lack of transportation, then Remote Online Notarization (henceforth RON) is a solution that will allow you to get this done without leaving the security of your home.
But, Am I Right For RON?
There are some essentials that you will need in order to participate in a RON session:
- Broadband Internet
- A device with a camera, a microphone, speakers, and way to make selections and input text
You will also need access to your documents in electronic form, such as PDF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, (more info at https://fileinfo.com/filetypes/text).
Lenders, Title Companies, Insurance Companies, and so on, are usually happy to email documents or upload them to a secure location where you can download them. If, for some odd reason, the company won’t supply you with the documents electronically, then you might need to scan your paper documents. If you only have a few pages, doing so is not a big feat. But if you have a full loan package, or a complete trust package, then you’ll be better off scheduling a signing at your home.
Scanning Documents (In case you need to)
I’m not going to do a deep dive into scanning your own documents here, but I’ll tell you that if you have a printer/scanner, or just a scanner, with OCR, then you’re all set. Even if you don’t, you can use your cell phone to scan documents. I do this as a Notary, at times. There are apps that you can load onto your cell phone, that have all the capabilities you’ll need to scan and digitize your documents for use in a RON session. One app that I use is Adobe Scan.
How Remote Online Notarizations Work
If you’ve gotten this far, then you’re most likely a good candidate for a RON session. So I’ll give you some info on how it works. State-approved platforms use audio-video and other necessary technologies to facilitate every aspect of a document signing, while maintaining privacy and security during a Remote Online Notarization. So in essence, a RON session resembles a typical signing in most every way, except that you’re not in a room with everyone involved.
Although signers will have to adapt in order to get documents notarized online, the high-tech aspect of it works mostly behind the scenes, and for non-tech-savvy folks, all efforts have been made to make the process as simple as possible.
What To Expect During A Remote Online Notarization
First of all, as I mentioned earlier, you’ll need adequate Internet connectivity for audio-video transmission. You’ll need a device with a webcam, speakers, and microphone, and be able to input text and make onscreen selections.
During an online session, each signer will need to pass ID verification in the form of KBA (Knowledge Based Authentication), in which they must correctly answer 80% of the questions presented in order to prove their identity.
Also, during the Remote Online Notarization process, the signer will receive a notification requesting them to:
- Capture their ID (using a camera on a computer or other device)
- Capture their face (using a camera on a computer or other device)
- Adopt their signature for digital signing
- Connect with the Notary using a webcam on their computer or other device
The Cost of Doing A Remote Online Notarization
Florida Statutes set the fee for Remote Online Notarizations at $25 for each notarial act, which is to say, for each stamp. Since there is no travel involved for the Notary doing an Online Notarization, there is no travel fee. But the Notary will have to do some admin tasks on your behalf to facilitate the signing, so there will be a fee for that. But the value of the service in convenience and time savings is well worth the nominal fees that you’ll pay.
For more information on Remote Online Notarizations, call or text 813-591-0820
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