Notary Services at a Distance
***UPDATE — April 2021: Remote Online Notary (RON) services were authorized during the 2019 legislative session in SB 5641. A Remote Notary Endorsement is available for notaries as of March 2021. The temporary remote notary authorized by executive proclamation is no longer in effect. To learn more about RON, visit the Remote notarization for licensed notaries page on the Department of Licensing website.***
The library’s COVID focused posts addressed a swiftly changing legal landscape. Some information in this post may no longer be valid and some links may be broken or redirect to different content than originally published. Our intent is for these posts to be used for historical research purposes. Some resources with broken links may be found by searching the original URL in the Wayback Machine.
Whether you are a consumer needing notary services, a notary looking for guidance in providing services, or a legal professional advising notaries or consumers, we hope the resources below will help you in researching your notary-related legal questions.
Do you need a notary?
While most residents are limiting physical interactions with others, there is still a need to complete transactions requiring the service of a notary, from the sale of a home to updating a will. Fortunately, there are several options for having a document notarized at a distance.
Traditional notary service requires that the notary check identification and witness the signing of a document in person. It is possible to conduct this traditional notary service with limited contact. Organizations such as the American Society of Notaries and National Notary Association have published suggested guidance on measures to take for proper socially distanced notarizations.
In addition, remote notary service is currently authorized in Washington State. During the 2019 legislative session Washington authorized Remote Online Notary (RON) services effective October 1, 2020 in SB 5641. The Governor issued a proclamation in March waiving the effective date of that legislation. That order has been extended several times and RON is currently authorized through September 1, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 State of Emergency. Please note that wills do not qualify for RON services.
Traditional notary services are available at many businesses including banks and shipping outlets. To find an individual notary, search at the Washington State Department of Licensing website. In the search section titled Search with License Details select Notary Public under License Type and search by city or county. You can also use this site to verify an active notary license.
Resources for Notaries
Licensed notaries with an electronic endorsement can sign up online to provide RON services. Notary services are listed as essential when conducted for essential transactions. For a list of these transactions, see the Appendix to Proclamation 20–25. While training courses are not required of notaries in Washington State, the Department of Licensing has produced a training video and handbook. The department also points to several organizations that offer training.
These sites have added information about remote notarial acts, including blog posts and webinars (note that some of these are fee-based):
Washington State Bar Association Roundtable Discussion materials — Remote Notarizations and Notarizing e-Documents
Remote Online Notary Presentation to WSBA Solo and Small Practice Section
Remote Notary Services — Frequently Asked Questions
Notary.Net
Blog post: RON and Other Creative Ways Notaries are Working During COVID-19
National Notary Association
Answers To Urgent Questions Notaries Are Asking About Remote Online Notarization
Perform Remote and Electronic Notarizations Training — Webinar ($)
American Society of Notaries
COVID-19 Notarization Procedures — Social Distancing With Physically Present Principals
Temporary Notary Procedures During COVID-19 Pandemic: State Emergency Orders/Guidance (state-by-state)
Laws and Rules Related to Remote Notary
The laws and rules related to notary service can be found at the Washington State Department of Licensing website and include the Washington Administrative Code chapter on Notaries Public and the emergency regulations adopted to include remote notarial acts during the pandemic. Washington State notary statutes were substantially changed effective July 1, 2018 and can be found at RCW chapter 42.45. (WB)
