Remote Online Notary Public

On June 7, 2019, HB 409 “Electronic Legal Documents” was signed into law (Chapter 2019-71, Laws of Florida). This law is in effect as of January 1, 2020. Additionally, 1N-7001, Florida Administrative Code outlines the duties and responsibilities of online notaries as well as the procedures for applying. This law authorizes Florida notaries to perform online remote notarizations after the completion of an application and training requirements.

Below are the steps listed by the Department of State, which must be taken for a notary to register as a Remote Online Notary Public through the Department of State’s Division of Corporations:

1. You must be an existing notary public, a civil-law notary appointed under chapter 118, or a commissioner of deeds appointed under part IV of chapter 721.
Only those who are currently an active notary public may register to become an online notary public.  If you do not know your current status you may check it on our website here: http://notaries.dos.state.fl.us/not001.html

2. You must complete the online education training course and receive a certificate to be submitted with your registration.
To register as an online notary public, you must first complete the online education training course and receive a certificate of completion to be attached to your registration application. Applicants are required to complete an Application Registration for Online Notary Public which can be found at the bottom of the page. This application must be mailed to Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, PO Box 6327, Tallahassee, FL 32314 or in person or courier service to: 2415 North Monroe St., Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303. There is an initial fee of $10 payable by check to the Florida Department of State.

Remote Online Notary Public Education Providers:
https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/other-services/notaries/remote-online-notary-public/

3. You are required to contract with the appropriate third party vendors BEFORE applying.
To apply to be an online notary public, you must first have a contract with a company that will provide you with the technological support needed to perform online notarizations. This company must provide you with:

    1. The technology to be used in attaching or logically associating an electronic notarial certificate, signature and seal to an electronic document;
    2. The technology to be used in conducting identity proofing and credential analysis;
    3. The technology to store and maintain a recording of the video and audio conference of the online notarization session.

The Florida Department of State does not recommend nor endorse any particular third party vendors. The basic requirements for vendors’ technology are found under Chapter 117, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 1N-7001, Florida Administrative Register.

4. You must review the applicable statute and rules before applying.
Remote Online Notaries Public are governed by several new rules and statutes as well as the existing notary rules. The enacting statute is the “Electronic Legal Documents” was signed into law (Chapter 2019-71, Laws of Florida). This law is in effect as of January 1, 2020. Additionally, 1N-7001, Florida Administrative Code outlines the duties and responsibilities of online notaries as well as the procedures for applying.

5. Your remote online notary public commission expires with your notary public commission.
In your application you are required to provide the dates of your current notary public commission and expiration. These must match those on file with the Secretary of State. Your online notary public registration will run concurrently with your existing notary public commission and will expire on the same day, regardless of when the online notary public registration was filed. Should you successfully reapply to be a notary public, you will then be allowed to reapply to be an online notary public.

6. Registration.
All applications are submitted through the Department of State’s Division of Corporations. Use this link to the Department of State’s Division of Corporations website to access the RON-Application: https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/other-services/notaries/remote-online-notary-public/

 

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