On Wednesday, January 25th, the New York Department of State adopted new online notarization regulations that took effect immediately and without notice.

Although New York notaries had been performing online notarizations under temporary guidance for nearly a year, the regulations added new requirements that both notaries and the Notarize platform — needed to comply with.

Although select competitors chose to continue operating, we chose the road less traveled, temporarily shutting off access to the platform for all New York notaries until we could ensure that our platform was meeting all of the state’s new requirements, including a process to verify that a notary has obtained the newly required remote online notary commission.

“As the leader in online notarization, we play a crucial role in protecting the integrity of the notarial process and have a fundamental responsibility to safeguard the reputation of the industry that we helped build – even when doing so hurts us. I am proud of the quick and right action undertaken by our team. [These events] demonstrate our strict adherence to the laws and regulations that govern online notarization in each state. That is not changing. At Notarize, we don't believe in shortcuts.”

- Notarize Founder and CEO Pat Kinsel

We might not all be Irish, but we’re feeling all the luck of St. Patrick’s Day early — TODAY, March 13, we’re able to welcome New York’s notaries back to the platform. The best part? We’re able to do so in a way that’s compliant and sets notaries up for success as they serve businesses and customers.

Whether you’re a signer or a notary, here’s everything you need to know about the new regulations and what they mean for your experience on the Notarize platform:

For Signers:

To ensure compliance with the new identity proofing standards, signers will  be required to pass an automated selfie comparison in addition to Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) and credential analysis. The notary will then review your captured selfie and request a retake during the meeting if they encounter any issues.

For Notaries:

To reinstate a compliant status on the Notarize platform, you (the notary) will need to register with the New York Department of State to obtain an electronic notary commission — which will then authorize you (the license holder) to provide both remote online and traditional in-person notary services.

Once you have obtained your electronic notary commission, you’ll be eligible to return to the Notarize platform by completing the following steps:

1. Visit https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public to register with the Department of State for an electronic commission. Please note: this registration is an additional requirement that must be completed in addition to your standard RON compliance requirements

2. In the Commission Details section of your Notarize profile, upload the eNotary Approval Letter issued by the state indicating you are registered for RON

3. Update the Commission Details section of your Notarize profile with the unique electronic commission number issued by the state (located on your eNotary Approval Letter) 

4. Navigate to the Signature and Seal section of your Notarize profile to create a new electronic notary seal with your updated electronic commission number

After you’ve completed the above updates within your notary profile, the Notary Onboarding team will be automatically notified to begin their full review of your credentials for compliance. Upon approval, you’ll be returned to an active (and compliant) status on the Notarize platform. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out to notaryonboarding@notarize.com. If you need a refresh on the RON compliance requirements in the state of New York, we’ve got you covered there, too — click here.

Without further ado…live (again, for notaries) from New York, it’s Notarize!

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