Hello notaryme,
From my understanding to get certified as a RON notary, first you must know which platform the Tittle company uses and pick that platform when your registering and ready to take the RON certifications through your state. Most title companies out there prefer that you are registered with NNA as a RON notary. There are quite a few steps to take before you can register with the secretary of state as a RON notary. Which is why I called my local secretary of state to get some basic info and they recommended that I register on their web site Silver Flume which I am not sure if this website is the same for everyone and when I register with Silver flume I will have quite a few digital platforms to choose from but you must know which platform the title company uses or you are paying for a platform which may be a waste of money because not all title companies use the same digital platform. NNA on the other hand gets you set up with obtaining your RON certificate and examplar. There are other steps in obtaining your RON certification which I am in the process of obtaining and I will keep you posted once I find out.
In State of Washington, regardless of whether the host company stores the recording, the Notary Public must store a copy as well as a journal entry of each line item. That little nugget was added in January, 2021. You should check your state’s requirements.
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I’m in Florida and am RON certified. All Florida cares about is that you are associated with a platform. They don’t care if title companies use it or don’t or who does, and who doesn’t. So, once you join a platform, you advise the state of that platform and you get state certified in Florida. Now, to get companies (title or lender) to use your services through any platform is another ball of wax. Almost a year after Florida added RON certification for notaries, most companies (title/lenders) are still not onboard.
I trained to do RON through Notarize for Guaranteed Rate. In the end, I wasn’t “brought on” by Guaranteed because the volume just wasn’t there beyond using the 20 they already had previously trained and were conducting their RON closings. The reason they gave was that they couldn’t get the brokers to push RON closings to their clients. So the volume they thought would materialize, didn’t.
So, although I don’t do RON closings and my commission is up for renewal in September, I can continue stating that I am with Notarize to get my RON certification with the state and if I ever need to change it, in the state of Florida, you just have to advise them of such in writing!
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It is different when the Signing Service companies do request that you use a certain platform to perform RON loan signings. If a notary wants to register under a particular platform that is permitted as well. Which is why if you are working with several title companies it will be difficult to get them on board with the RON platform you signed up for. Now for the remote notarizations I think you can use any of the platforms. correct me if I’m wrong, but that is how I understood it.
Hi Judi ~ did see that nugget as you call it. My concern with all the hacking going on and data stored in cloud or by other means, what happens when Notaries quit their job? Who is in charge? My son works for the software giant in Redmond that promotes cloud storage and hackers know it is not secure. I know old days of ink and paper will go away eventually but is current progress secure? Recently had my information hacked from large Seattle company I worked for 15 years. They sent a letter Informing me my FBI background check that went through Human Resources was hacked. Company paid Ransome fee.and offered me credit monitoring. Ink and paper does not get hacked until it reaches digital world and depends on security used by each financial partner. Company I worked for had 10 people in their IT Dept and it just tripled. Data for thought!
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Hello everyone. I am a RON notary in Virginia and started doing RON work in April pf 2020. I checked out a number of platforms and settled on Notarize and DocVerify. It is true that DocVerify can be expensive but I tracked my expenses and found that I had cleared over $3000. That was because I was able to handle about 30 individual requests that had multiple notarizations in their set of documents as well as Title clients I have had over the years who are slowly coming onboard with RON closings for seller side transactions. Virginia allows electronic notaries to charge $25 per notarization. DocVerify is designed for the individual notary to handle their own RON business so you will have to generate your own clients.
It’s also true that Notarize doesn’t pay what you would make through DocVerify but they handle all of the technology that you pay for on DocVerify plus they supply you with the customers so you are doing volume business. I have already handled over 4300 notarizations in the past year using Notarize. I average around 25 notarizations per day and Notarize will be coming out with a program where you can bring your own clients onto their platform and you will be able to make additional income through that feature.
It has been a good move for me to switch to RON. I have eliminated over $300 a month in expenses of toner, paper, drums, auto expenses, etc. that I had as a mobile notary. And I am positioned for growth in an area that is quickly becoming the defacto way of notarizing documents. I have yet to have a complaint from anyone getting a document signed electronically because they love the convenience and my title companies love the fact that they are getting their package immediately after the closing is finished. I don’t plan to go back to paper at this point.
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Thank you for sharing information. I may become a RON notary in 2022 but waiting for bugs to be worked out. I will attach WA rates (public info) but unlike VA rates no listing for $25/notarization. Monthly expenses for materials, fuel, etc. are less than $300. I’m very frugal.
- The maximum fees a notary may charge for notarial acts are:
|Witnessing or attesting a signature|$10.00|
|Taking an acknowledgment or a verification upon oath or affirmation|$10.00|
|Certifying or attesting a copy|$10.00|
|Administering an oath or affirmation|$10.00|
|Certifying that an event has occurred or an act has been performed|$10.00|
Your better choice might be a service like Notarize, NotaryCam, or other services where you can do your notary work.
Thanks for additional information.
Hi Alice, RON rate in Washington State is up to $25 per notarization. (see section 6 below)
WAC 308-30-220 Fees for notarial acts.
(1) The maximum fees a notary may charge for notarial acts are:
| Notarial Act |
Fee |
| Witnessing or attesting a signature |
$10.00 |
| Taking an acknowledgment or a verification upon oath or affirmation |
$10.00 |
| Certifying or attesting a copy |
$10.00 |
| Administering an oath or affirmation |
$10.00 |
| Certifying that an event has occurred or an act has been performed |
$10.00 |
(2) A notary public need not charge for notarial acts.
(3) A notary public may not charge fees for receiving or noting a protest of a negotiable instrument.
(4) A notary public may additionally charge the actual costs of copying any instrument or record.
(5) A notary public may charge a travel fee when traveling to perform a notarial act if:
(a) The notary public and the individual requesting the notarial act agree upon the travel fee in advance of the travel; and
(b) The notary public explains to the individual requesting the notarial act that the travel fee is in addition to the notarial fee in subsection (1) of this section and is not required by law.
(6) Notwithstanding the maximum fees set forth in subsection (1) of this section and the prohibition set forth in subsection (3) of this section, a notary public may charge a maximum fee of twenty-five dollars to perform a remote notarial act.
https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=308-30-220
There is a definite advantage in having your RON in a state which doesn’t limit you geographically. I am in Wisconsin and have done several RON for title companies. Only one of my lenders requires the notary and the signer to be located in the same state. Wisconsin prevents me from RON closing anyone who is not located within the state, but allows RON closings done by notaries located outside my state. I was surprised when I saw the number of signings done from the Virginia notary on the forum, but understand why he does so many more. One source anywhere vs. one source in one state. I would hope that the states would adopt one standard, but not for now.
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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.
Thank you for additional information. Missed Item 6.
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.
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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?
Thank you for any info you can provide.
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
Again, thank you.
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.
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Hear, Hear, LindaH.
That is what makes it hard for me to learn the new stuff. Do I really want to learn it all now???
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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
Thank you,
~Carmen Lane
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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.
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