Currently, notaries in Virginia, Texas, and Nevada are allowed to perform online notarization for signers nationwide, but their counterparts in Indiana will soon join them.
That’s because the Indiana General Assembly this week passed legislation that will enable the state’s notaries to participate in online notarizations across the country.
The bill passed in the Indiana House of Representatives by a 95-0 margin.
The bill will now go to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk for his signature. Once signed, Indiana notaries will be able to remotely notarize documents nationwide.
Indiana is the first state to approve online notarization for its notaries in 2018. The move comes on the heels of the National Association of Secretaries of State, a group that includes the secretaries of state for all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories, adopting nationwide standards for online notarization.
In most states, secretaries of state are the commissioning authority for notaries, granting them the authority to act as a notary.
According to NASS, the electronic notarization standards can be used as a structure that policymakers and regulators use when developing and implementing remote notarization laws, regulations and guidance.
Notarize, a digital platform that allows for legal, online document notarization, helped shepherd the bill across the line.
“We’re thrilled Indiana has voted to adopt online notarization and can’t wait to work with Hoosier notaries once the bill goes into effect,” Notarize CEO and Founder Patrick Kinsel said in a statement.
“We’re up and running in Indiana today with Westcor Title and Stewart Title, but feel strongly the best model is for local notaries to serve local customers – online,” Kinsel continued.
“We’re excited to give Hoosier notaries the tools they need to serve customers in Indiana and abroad,” Kinsel concluded. “We’re grateful for our partners, including Merchants Bank of Indiana, and for (Indiana Secretary of State Connie) Lawson’s leadership as we modernize how people rely on notaries for the most important transactions of their lives.”
The Indiana bill was sponsored by State Sen. Travis Holdman.
“I’m proud to have led SB-372. With its passage today, Hoosier notaries will gain the ability to serve their clients online, creating a more safe, secure and efficient experience for everyone,” Holdman said in a statement.
“We’re continuing to modernize how the Indiana government serves its constituents. Countless government forms require notarized documents, this Bill enables Hoosiers to more efficiently complete these and numerous other legal documents,” Holdman added. “I appreciate Secretary Lawson’s leadership on this important issue. We’re excited to welcome companies like Notarize to offer their tools to Indiana’s notaries.”
