One of the number one ways to ensure an agreement holds up under scrutiny is the notary certificate. Obviously, it’s important to get all the right signatures in the right places, but if you can’t prove that the signing occurred at a specific time and place, it is easier to doubt a signature’s authenticity.
Imagine a family fighting over a will or a company backing out of an agreement. Without proof that people agreed to what they did at a certain time, there are a half dozen angles for bad actors to exploit the confusion. Notarial certificates provide some of the strongest defense against rogue claims.
So What Is a Notary Certificate?
A notarial certificate is how any notarial act is evidenced. It is a document or written statement that affirms all the facts or information involved in a signing.
There are nine things that every notarial certificate needs:
Some states have meticulous requirements for a notarial certificate while others only require that all nine aspects of a certificate be present. However, some things shift when you take notary to the digital world.
The Digital Difference
One aspect that might jump out right away when you shift to digital notary certificates is the lack of a venue. With a remote notarization, the whole point is that you, your clients, and the notary are all in different locations. This means your location involves a secure communications platform.
There’s also not an easy way to go embossing and stamping a digital file. This is when the notary’s custom, digital seal comes in. These seals typically mimic real-life stamps or seals in the form of a PDF or JPEG. However, they come with a few other strengths of digital security.
A remote notarial certificate often comes with digital protections that verify the notary’s identity. It also makes whatever document signed “tamper-evident.” Once a notary signs and secures your digital signature, it will persistently keep track and record instances where anyone opens or makes changes since the completed notarization.
Tackle Both the Old and New with Expert Help
Believe it or not, remote notary is still a relatively new aspect of efficient transactions and closings. Many states only legalized remote notary around 2020, and each one has its own particular requirements.
When you need a RON, whether due to distance, expense, convenience, or high volume, it is important to make sure you have everything organized and streamlined. With the right team, you can pave the way to easier closings and more secure notarizations.
A Better Way to Close with BNN Services
Since 2008, BNN Services has been trusted by title agencies, mortgage lenders, servicers, and consumers to perform loan and document signings in multiple languages across the country.
Unlike other signing services, BNN Services “touches” every file 8 to 9 times, ensuring the process moves forward free of delays. That is why we have completed over 250,000 signings in all 51 jurisdictions and maintained a closing ratio of 96 percent.
Ready to experience the BNN Services Difference? Get started today!