I agree wholeheartedly. Virginia was the FIRST STATE to implement RON in 2011 and I think they knocked it out of the park, rulewise. I wish Washington State had paid closer attention to Virginia’s RON rules and had adopted the same.
The way Washington’s RON rules are written, the notary bears entirely too much burden and responsibility for storing and safeguarding each electronic recording for TEN YEARS. Even though the technology provider stores a copy, Washington notaries are still required by law to save/store them as well.
Some Washington title companies actually prefer using Virginia RON notaries.
Hi again Carmen ~ WA State SOP is slow on uptake but a nice place to live. Some times systems rush change without taking proper precautions. Bearing this in mind I went back to school in my 50’s an received education in different forms of computer systems, software, and some basic coding. Still works for me today. I agree with burden of current responsibility on Notaries and not secure. Hoping in 2022 WA provides an upgraded system. Time will tell.
Hello Mr. Parker and thank you for this great piece of information. I did sign up with DocVerify, but didn’t know how to use it (videos weren’t that great and I didn’t learn enough to continue with them). I then went to Notarize.
Although I am on their platform, I didn’t follow up and get started taking assignments. I signed up last year and I was so busy with pen and paper signings, I didn’t have time. Plus, at the same time I learned their processes, I was learning their process through a particular lender who thought there would be a huge need for RON notaries that never panned out. So, I think I may be a little mixed up on how to get started with them using the platform in general. I even bought a secondary monitor to hold my script! I will, at some point, go back and do the videos and schedule myself now that I have slowed down. Just a bit nerve-wracking to come in after all these emails showing different changes they have made in their processes and platform!
So my question is, did you start doing regular 1-page document notarizations first? They seem to have some process in place where you start there and then at some point (if you don’t make mistakes?), they move you into loan closings. If so, how long did it take you to move into loan closings, or are you doing that by having marketed to your own local title companies? If so, did the title company need to get onboard with Notarize? If not, how does your title company pay for the Notarize service/your service on the closings?
Yes Mr. Parker - I’ve been meaning to thank you for this information - your post has me thinking this is something I might go for after all - key word “might”…LOL. Not sure at this state of my game called life I want to start getting involved in it, but it’s also a viable option for me who is getting tired of going out on the road every day
Notaryme ~ what state are you in? Each state varies on their permitted platforms. Go to State website first for information. Recently communicating with Parker, National Notary Assoc rep interjected her comments. VA has their own scenario for RON that has been in existence for a decade and is one of the best. Other States are not up to VA’s organization.
Hello, @shawnotarycofield (Shawn C). You are using this Notary Cafe chat forum to target notaries and market your business. You have posted your message in the forum a couple different times and I have even received unsolicited private message from you regarding your training.
Some constructive criticism for you, sir, if you are open to it:
First, I am wise enough to be leery of any training program that resorts to enticing prospects with discussions of making big money, or uses a carrot of stories of other people making “$2k per week”, six figures, or those that use slick words like “side-hustle” in its sales spiel. Like the charming, fast talking “side-hustle” guy we’ve probably all seen on YouTube, this also feels rather like an old snake oil “get rich quick” scheme and the approach makes me immediately suspicious. #redflag
Second, that you are a RON training expert for the entire USA and/or you know the notary laws of every state… is a rather huge claim. As a notary public, you are bound by ethics and may only make claims which are indeed true. #redflag
Third, I can appreciate your desire to grow your business, but this @notarycafe chat forum is not the appropriate place to target your fellow notaries. #redflag
Hello @notaryme. Notarize has for levels of service and they start everyone on level one, no matter what their experience is. Up until the time I had handled over 4600 real estate closings as a mobile NSA. Level one and two are usually single document notarizations. Once you have met their performance levels, they will start you on the Title closings, which are seller documents, and ultimately you will handle the Lender closings. During each level up, you will still be able to handle the previous levels you have qualified with so I am currently handling anything that comes onto the Notarize platform. There is training at each level and you will be informed when you have met the requirements to advance to the next level. Hope this helps.
Stay away from DocVerify as it is astronomical in its pricing model. Monthly and transactional credits will put you in the red if you have more than one signature. Pravaso and some other systems don’t seem to cost as much but they all seem to flex their software prices as the market grows. Also make sure that your digital signature, stamp and certification is compatible with the system you have chosen to primarily use. Many notaries use multiple systems. If you plan on doing loan signings check on who is paying the cost of the system and what it will cost you if you are footing the bill.
Hi jnewberry,
I’m in Wisconsin and I have not seen any laws that state RONs are limited to Wisconsin residents signers. The only limitations I have found is certain general notary work that cannot be done online. Are you saying the title companies only want to work with Wisconsin residents?
I signed up with DocVerify in 2020 and yes, they are expensive to use. You will need a lot of volume to make a profit…I cancelled my service after 1 year. Check out OneNotary…there’s a free version.
Hello notaryme. DocVerify was a difficult process getting to know how to work with. I found that they have a good email support system and they got back to me fairly quickly. Once I got up to speed, I have received enough business to generate a profit after expenses. I primarily use DocVerify for people who contact me or some of my clients who are beginning to handle RON closings.
Notarize provides good training and there are 4 levels for the types of documents you will be handling. You progress through each level as you gain experience and handle a certain number of transactions at the level they have you on. When I started with Notarize on April of 2021, they were just beginning to take on notaries as contractors. They were developing the platform as they were adding notaries. I was on the Beta teams for the Title, Lender, and soon coming Bring Your Own Transaction features. That meant they were not as up to speed as they are now with progressing a notary through the system so you may find your experience different. I hope this helps.
Both Notarize and Pravaso do not have a platform in Washington, I contacted Notarize and was put on their wait list to be informed when that happened. I am also looking at LiveNotary, but there is no cost available yet. I have requested that information. If anyone else has a suggestion, it would be appreciated.
From reading the posts here, it doesn’t look like RON may be a good thing to get involved in in the state of Washington unless you have a lot of business. Looks a bit overwhelming with the current state law.
I have only done RON for lenders and use the software and platform they provide. I have been looking into general notary on RON and have some reservations about the cost. No platform allows you to keep at least fifty percent of the notary fee. If you provide your own customers as a result of your own marketing you keep more but if you service the customers provided by the platform you make barely more than the fee for an in person signing. I also am concerned about the liability where the platform allows the notary to prepare the documents for signing by allowing edits to the document by the notary. To me, that is document preparation which is illegal in my state, Wisconsin. If I made decisions as to how a document should be filled or signed on an important financial document I can foresee a giant possibility of negligence if the document were legally challenged. I may go ahead and do GN but I won’t do any edits unless directed by the signer and in the recorded session and not before.
Because they say "that you do not need to used your car, don’t spend money eating in restaurants, etc. I love it because I don’t want to drive, hate the traffic, I don’t waste money eating out, no printer, no scanner, no ink, no papers, etc.
