7 Habits for Notaries to Help Fight the COVID-19 Blues

Whether we are sheltering in place or continuing to work in our notary signing agent businesses, we must find ways to stay positive and ready to identify opportunities when they emerge.   Having a negative outlook helps nothing.  Today, I’d like to share habits that I have learned from observing smart people who get things done and keep going toward their goals in life no matter what is happening around them. Habit #1  - Limit Negative Intake - Ramp Up the Positive Allow yourself no more than two articles on COVID-19 issues per day.   My personal habit is to look to see how many cases are being reported each day.  However, it is not necessary for me to read every single COVID-19 story that is...

May 5, 2020By eNotary, Featured, Notary Business0 CommentsRead more...

The Remote Online Notary Roller Coaster

Have you noticed how remote online notarization (RON) has had many crazy ups and downs?  We had a few hot minutes of activity in March and April, yet today, a number of notaries complain of having no assignments come their way after investing to become an online notary.  Let's Think Back a Minute. Until the COVID-19 pandemic affected face-to-face loan signings, there was little or no interest from hiring parties in contracting with independent notaries to perform loan signings using RON technology.  In March, however, and throughout April, as the pandemic aged, hiring parties began reaching out to notaries regarding their RON skills and platforms. Dozens of notaries took that as a sign to suit up for the RON game by sinking hundreds...

May 5, 2020By eNotary, Featured, Notarization, Notary Business2 CommentsRead more...

Iowa Remote Online Notarization

Iowa has accelerated their Remote Online Notarization (RON) to accommodate for the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.  Iowa notaries can now register here to be able to offer this service: https://sos.iowa.gov/covid19/remotenotarization/form.aspx  The following vendors have been authorized to provide this service: DocVerify LenderClose SIGNiX You must reach out to one of these vendors prior to applying. DocVerify: $100 setup fee, $480 annual fee, $100 digital certificate fee, and a per transaction fee LenderClose: No published fees. SIGNiX: No setup fee, $250 annual fee, free digital certificate, $10 transaction fee, $5 for each additional seal (same transaction, $60 max) Here is the text of the guidance provided by the Iowa Secretary of State's Office: In-Person Notarization Requirement Waiver Guidance Beginning March 22nd, Governor Reynolds declared that the in-person requirement for notarizing documents in Iowa...

April 1, 2020By eNotary, Iowa, New Laws0 CommentsRead more...

Colorado Remote Online Notarization

Update 4/1/2020: The Colorado SOS office confirmed that there has been no change to the amount Colorado notaries can charge for a remote online notarization.  This makes RON cost-prohibitive in most instances.  We will update as we get more information. Colorado has adopted a temporary rule to allow Remote Online Notarization (RON) as a response to Corona Virus (COVID-19) and quarantine and social distancing recommendations at the state and federal level.  Below is the new rule put out by the Colorado Secretary of State Notary Division: As temporarily adopted and effective 3/30/2020 Rule 5. Remote Notarization 5.1 Definitions As used in these Rules, unless stated otherwise: 5.1.1 “Audio-video communication” means communication by which an individual is able to see, hear, and communicate with a remotely located...

March 30, 2020By Colorado, eNotary, New Laws, News, Notarial Law, Notarization, , , , , 3 CommentsRead more...

RON and Other Creative Ways Notaries are Working During COVID-19  

Can we all agree that this has been one of the most interesting months in history for notary signing agents? And, of course, by "interesting," what I really mean is it's crazy out there.   The topics that I said we would cover this time hardly seem relevant to our world today.  That was on March 9, 2020 in a pre-national COVID-19 emergency where the phrase "keeping social distance" held no meaning for us. Here we are three weeks later, my local FedEx station has pastel blue boxes for people to stand in so that they stay six feet apart.  For grins, go back and look at the article from the 9th (Remote Online Notarization - Positive RON News) and the topics...

March 30, 2020By eNotary, Loan Signing Agent9 CommentsRead more...

Remote Online Notarization – RON – a Positive Update

I have positive news to share regarding remote online notarization (RON).  It is now more affordable for notaries to enter the RON arena! Last year, I reported that DocVerify was the only company willing to work with independent notaries who want to perform remote online notarization (RON).  At the time, I had talked with several platform companies, none of whom offered seats to individual independent notaries.  So, that left one company for us to choose from and there was no competition.  SIGNix is Now Available to Independent Notaries! Before I wrote the previous RON article (Should you become a Remote Online Notary?), I called SIGNix  because I genuinely liked the people I had met from SIGNix.  In fact, I had the opportunity to meet...

March 9, 2020By eNotary, Featured, Notary Business17 CommentsRead more...
Remote Online Notarization

Should You Become a Remote Online Notary?

Today's article should not be considered an endorsement of remote online notarization (RON) or an opposing viewpoint.  It is a simple summary of what I have observed since gaining my “boots on the ground” perspective.  I will describe how I got set up and some of the issues that must be overcome. Although, I am in Texas, other states’ notaries will undoubtedly have the same challenges that I had here.  In fact, some states are using Texas online notary laws as a model and tweaking them to fit their needs.  Others states have patterned theirs after the Revised Uniform Law on Notary Acts. Nuts and Bolts of Typical RON Legislation Below are the high points of remote notarization laws in layman terms, without...

April 18, 2019By eNotary, Featured, New Laws, News, Notarial Law, Notarization, Notary Business, , , 10 CommentsRead more...