I’ve noticed that several notaries charge for an “e-doc fee”. What do they mean by “e-doc”, and why do people charge extra for it?
E-doc fee is the fee the notary would charge to receive documents via e-mail and print them out.
My question to you is - have you taken a certification course? This should have been addressed in the course you took. If you did not, based on your questions here, I would strongly suggest you take a loan signing course that will familiarize you with loan closings, what’s involved, and all the terminology
I’d suggest you contact Carol Ray at Notary2Pro - you’ll have to pay for the course but it will be money well spent.
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Agree with Linda. If you don’t know what edocs are, you are seriously in over your head and need some training.
Edocs are loan documents sent Electronically. Usually, hundreds of pages sent to you via e-mail as a pdf or you download them from a secure site and then must print usually 2 copies of all using a laser printer and your labor–so, yes, WE ALL CHARGE for this service (equipment, paper, toner).
I just saw another notary’s fee schedule and she charged extra for e-docs and I was wondering why. Isn’t it pretty standard to get them that way? I’m trying to get my fees straight, and that threw me.
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I apologize. I was wondering about e-signings, not e-docs.
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Google e-signings… and/or Eclose. It’s complicated and must be allowed by your state.
I loved my courses. I can’t tell you how amazing my experience was.
Hi I was wondering the same thing. I thought this forum was to get information and answers. I realize we must take certifications and courses. There are times when we have questions and thus is the place to try and look
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Information and answers - yes. But these questions are basic topics covered in any loan signing course. We answer questions and advise as best we can - but we can’t train - and this is all part of training.
My e-notarization training was part and parcel of the 3-hour course I had to take to become a Florida notary - not signing agent, but a commissioned notary - I just never obtained my e-seal.
Linda. I took 83 hour training course for my notary commission. And for loan signing documents I took another course. But it doesn’t say anything about fees. This form is a go toForum.
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OP asked what e-docs were…then corrected it and said she meant e-notarization; it was my belief (and Arichter’s too from her post) that they wanted a definition, not a fee.
Maybe I misunderstood. And may I ask…83 hours to train for your commission? Is that a typo?
Lol, typo 3 hours! Ok whichever it was. I don’t know! It wasn’t my question but I wondered about the fees. My point is that this forum is information purposes and not meant for training. I get that!
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e-docs signing is not allowed in california for loans
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premiernotary has clarified that her question is what notaries mean by an e-signing. Several situations could qualify as an e-signing, especially with the emergency rules provided in many states during the pandemic.
- Hybrid signing: some docs are signed electronically, possibly before the notary arrives. The notary prints some of the docs (usually the ones that need to be notarized), watches signers sign, administers notarizations, and completes notarial certificates.
- In person electronic notarization (IPEN): The documents are all signed electronically. The ones that are notarized are signed by the signers in the physical presence of the notary, and the notary completes the notarial certificates electronically.
- Remote online notarization (RON): like IPEN, except the notary communicates with the signers over a secure audio-video link, and special procedures are used to identify the signers. The allowable identification methods depend on the state.
- Remote ink notarization (RIN): this is allowed in some states during the pandemic. The signers communicate with the notary electronically. The signers hold up their ID to the camera, or are personally known to the notary, or use credible witnesses. The signers often are required to state on-camera that they are in the same state as the notary. The signers sign the printed paper document, then either scan them to the notary for completion, or mail to them to the notary for completion. The notary prints the scanned documents (if necessary). The notary completes the notarial certificates; often, special wording is required to show the notarization was done remotely.
I’ve never heard of any lenders or title companies being willing to use the last method.
Procedures for any of the various kinds of e-signings vary greatly from title company to title company, so I would expect the fees charged by notaries to vary greatly, depending on exactly what they have to do and what software and subscriptions they have to provide themselves with.
Back in the 1990s or so it was normal for title companies to print the docs and send then to either the notary or signers. When high-speed internet and inexpensive laser printers became more common, some notaries started printing the documents, and charged extra for this service. Many title companies, signing services, and notaries still charge extra for these edocs, even though they are the norm rather than the exception. A case when the paper documents are still sent to the notary is a split signing, where a first signer has already signed the documents and the notary is collecting the signatures of a second signer.
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Fair question to me 
. I have taken courses and still was confused at that question. Thank you guys for clarifying. Sometimes all this notary jargon sounds the same. Happy stamping
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