Choosing the right type of notarial service can be crucial to a successful, legal completion of the notarial act. With the Covid-19 Emergency Governor Orders, Remote Online Signings would seem to be the right choice for troublesome times.  Citizens and government are looking to remote online notarizations to become the choice for the future of notarizations. However, the more traditional mobile notary interaction either through a "wet signing" or an electronic signing will not go away anytime soon because not everyone is capable of/nor is qualified to use remote services.

Is remote online notarization right for you or your client?

The signer(s) needs to carefully examine if the technical sophistication required to do this type of notarization is within their capability. At a minimum, they need to be able to operate an up-to-date desktop, laptop or tablet computer.  The operating systems, the webcams and the microphones must all be functional according to the vendor's specifications.  (At AZ Roving Notary we use both DocVerify and Pavaso for our remote and electronic online signings.) Wifi - must be fast and consistent because if the internet isn't fully functional and up to speed, the notarization will fail and the process has to start all over again.

Are the documents complex (many documents, many pages, many notarial acts) or are they simpler?  How many signers or witnesses are required?  What about delivery of the documents to a third party (such as a law firm or title company) when the signing is complete? Can the client pass ID Verification using Knowledge Based Authentication?  Will the signer pass credential verification and facial recognition?  These are only a few of the questions to be answered before deciding to choose remote online notarization.

What makes a traditional wet signing the right choice?  Traditional wet signings with pen, paper and a physical notary stamp are for people who are uncomfortable with electronics or online transactions. With the notary coming to the signer's location, it can be convenient for many situations such as a hospital room or other restricted access area where computer technology may be not available or allowed.  Additionally if the paperwork is complex or there are several documents to be signed, this can be a good choice. A more traditional wet signing, makes it easier for the signer to communicate with their attorney or title company to allow for questions to be answered that might arise during the signing.

A hybrid signing is also performed by the notary at the location and time convenient to the signer.  Some documents could have been previously signed or require an electronic signature without notarization, while some documents requiring a notarial act are performed using a traditional pen and paper and notary stamp.  This is primarily used in loan signings where several parties are involved. A special electronic or remote commission for the notary is not required for this type of signing, but the notary must be using an approved vendor for this service. The notaries at AZ Roving Notary who perform hybrid signings are Pavaso certified and use their portal for the signing.

An electronic online signing (eclosing) can also be performed by a mobile notary, but the notary must have a separate commission from the state for Electronic Online Notarization (EON).  A vendor is chosen for this service (AZ Roving Notary uses both Pavaso and DocVerify for electronic signings).  All signatures, dates, initials and notary stamps are done electronically using a laptop computer or a tablet.  This is a great choice for convenience and speed of completing the signing and all parties can get their copies of the notarized documents online as needed.

The remote online notarization (RON) requires that the notary be commissioned by the state to perform this service and requires certification by the state for the vendors used by the notary. Our notaries who are commissioned as RON notaries use either Pavaso or DocVerify.  We use Pavaso for loan closings and DocVerify for all other documents.  This is a perfect service to choose if you are computer savvy.  You do not have to be located in Arizona; and, you must meet the state and vendor requirements to use the RON service.

Is there a cost differential between the 4 types of services?  Trying to make it easy for our clients, we have set up 3 levels of service to choose from.  $100-$175-$250.  Each level includes certain benefits and there can be additional charges. But all pricing is based off the Arizona regulated pricing for notarial acts and mileage (if mobile).  And, if you don't exactly fit into one of the levels - we can customize the pricing to fit your situation.

Whichever type of notary service you choose, you can feel confident that the notaries provided by AZ Roving Notary are capable in each technology.  We are there to make the process simple and fast.  And, most importantly - your documents can withstand the legal test for notarization if required in the future.