Electronic and Remote Online Notarization Flashcards

Does Massachusetts currently authorize remote online notarization (RON)?

Answer: Yes, Massachusetts has enacted laws authorizing remote online notarization

Massachusetts has enacted legislation permitting remote online notarization, allowing notaries to serve signers who appear via audio-visual technology.

In a Massachusetts remote online notarization, how must the signer's identity be verified?

Answer: Through credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), or both, as prescribed by approved RON platforms

RON identity verification requires technology-driven methods such as credential analysis and knowledge-based authentication to compensate for lack of physical presence.

Must a Massachusetts remote online notarization session be recorded?

Answer: Yes, the audio-visual session must be recorded and retained

Massachusetts RON law requires that the audio-visual communication session be recorded and that the recording be retained as part of the notarial record.

For how long must a Massachusetts notary retain a remote online notarization recording?

Answer: 10 years

Massachusetts requires RON session recordings to be retained for 10 years following the date of the notarial act.

Can a Massachusetts notary perform a remote online notarization for a signer located in another state?

Answer: Yes, if the notary is a commissioned Massachusetts notary and the RON platform is approved

A Massachusetts commissioned notary may perform RON for signers located outside Massachusetts, as the notary's authority extends to their commission regardless of the signer's location.

What technology requirement must be met for a Massachusetts remote online notarization?

Answer: Real-time, two-way audio-visual communication enabling both parties to see and hear each other

RON requires synchronous, two-way audio-visual communication so the notary and signer can interact in real time, mimicking the face-to-face requirement of traditional notarization.