Virtual notarizations are becoming increasingly popular, due to the rise of this technology. With many states enacting e-notary legislation, attorneys and title agencies are relying on virtual notarizations to help speed up the closing process. A virtual notarization is done through a video conference call with a notary public and involves the same procedures as an in-person notarization. Although the technology is easy to use, you should still take the time to properly prepare for your virtual notarization. Let’s go over the steps you need to take in order to ensure your virtual notarization goes smoothly.

The Proper Documentation

It’s essential that you have all the appropriate documentation prepared ahead of time. This includes any documents that require a notarial act (i.e., documents containing signatures), as well as any other paperwork related to the task at hand (e.g., identification cards). Be sure that any documents requiring notarization are filled out completely prior to the start of the session and double check them for accuracy before proceeding further, so there’s no delay during your virtual session. You should also gather any additional information or supporting documents needed for authentication purposes before beginning your virtual notarization session as well.  Documents are also submitted to the notary unsigned and with no initials.  All signatures and initials will be electronically signed. If you have any special requests or documents that need extra attention, let the notary know ahead of time and bring them up during the call so they can be addressed promptly.

Booking Your Notarization

Once you’ve reviewed and prepared all of your documents, it’s time to book an appointment with a remote notary. When booking your appointment, make sure to select a time when you will be available and have access to reliable internet connection and video capabilities. Also make sure to ask questions if anything is unclear in regards to what needs to be done for the call or if there are any additional fees associated with using their services. Having all this information beforehand can save you valuable time during your session. The process of booking a remote notary is similar to booking an appointment with a local notary – you will need to provide details including the document type, signers’ names and contact information, how fast you need the documents signed, specifics about how many documents need to be signed and where the signers are located. Be aware of any rescheduling fees as any changes made 24 hours prior to an appointment may incur an additional fee.  It is possible to change or add documents before the scheduled signing, but check with your notary what the cutoff time is as there may be a re-upload fee if documents were already tagged and uploaded by the notary. Now prepare for the next step, Verifying Your Identification.

Complete Your ID Verification

Once you have booked your notarization, the Notary will be in touch with you directly to prepare you for the notarization. Communication with the notary is mostly done through email but at times may require the notary to reach out to the signers by phone or text to best prepare the signers.  The notary will send an email with instructions to all the signers. This is a critical part of the virtual notarization process of verifying each signer’s identity before allowing them access into their online session. It is important for signers involved in a virtual notarization session to provide valid identification cards such as driver licenses or passports before the start of the session. The Notary should be able to provide instructions regarding acceptable forms of ID prior to the start of the session so everyone knows what they need beforehand.  Make sure that these IDs are not expired. It’s also important that each signer have access to either a phone or laptop/desktop computer for their online session so they can complete their identity verification. The signers will receive the emailed instructions from the notary with links to begin the ID verification process.  The signers will follow these instructions where it asks to upload the ID and enter personal information. Once the signers have passed the ID verification, the notarization can then proceed. Once again, be sure to double check all documents prior to beginning so everything can go smoothly once everything gets underway.

Making Sure You Have The Right Equipment For The Virtual Notarization

Before beginning your call, make sure that you have all necessary equipment needed for a successful virtual session such as a computer (desktop.laptop) or mobile device (tablet or cell phone) with audio/video capabilities along with reliable internet connection (for best results use either WiFi or Ethernet cables). Also check to see if earphones are needed (most calls will require them). All equipment should be tested prior to beginning your session in order to prevent any possible delays due to technical issues caused by incompatible hardware/software or poor internet connections.

Be Timely & Get Onto Your Notarization At The Scheduled Time: 

Once everyone has completed the ID verification, it’s important that all parties join the online session at least 5 minutes before its scheduled start time and have adopted their signature if that is something the program was requesting they do. Be aware of any late arrival fees or fees if the time goes over.  When it comes time for your session, join immediately so that any potential issues can be addressed right away instead of having them linger throughout the entire call duration.

Download Your Documents At The End And Review With Your Attorney

After completing your virtual meeting and authenticating all signatures successfully via audio/visual means, it is important that both parties download copies of these records immediately following completion of said meeting – this ensures accuracy as well as providing peace-of-mind knowing that documents have been properly signed off on digitally with no discrepancies between what appears physically versus what appears virtually. Lastly, it is always recommended that one person reviews these records with an attorney prior finalizing anything else related thereto just in case there were any discrepancies or errors made along way which could potentially lead legal action down line if left unchecked now.

Virtual notarizations offer convenience and flexibility when compared with traditional methods. But just like traditional methods, proper preparation is key when conducting a successful virtual notarization session. Preparing for a successful virtual notarization requires some planning ahead of time but it doesn’t have to be difficult if you know what steps need to be taken beforehand and make sure everything is properly prepared and organized prior to starting the process. By following these steps—preparing your documents, booking an appointment with a remote notary, Id verification processes; ensuring everyone has reliable internet connection as well as appropriate hardware devices capable of audio/visual communication; being timely & getting on video calls promptly at scheduled times; downloading records immediately after completion & reviewing same with attorney—you can rest assured knowing everything was done correctly when authenticating digital signatures via securely conducted online meetings. You can make sure your virtual notarization will go off without a hitch and save yourself time in the long run. This way all parties involved can feel confident knowing their interests were protected throughout every step taken in completing their successful Virtual Notarizations!