Free DC NOTARY Electronic Notarization Procedures Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A DC notary authorized to perform remote notarizations completes a session for a remotely located individual. What is the minimum period the notary must retain the audio-visual recording of this notarial act?
- 3 years
- 5 years
- 7 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 10 years
According to DC regulations (17 DCMR § 2420.2), an audio-visual recording of a remote notarial act must be retained for at least ten years after the recording is made.
Question 2: A DC notary is preparing to perform their first Remote Online Notarization (RON). The notary does not personally know the signer. Which of the following is an approved method for verifying the signer's identity under DC law?
- Verifying the signer's identity through a live video call with a single credible witness known only to the signer.
- Accepting a scanned copy of the signer's passport sent via unencrypted email.
- Using a combination of remote presentation of a government-issued ID, credential analysis, and knowledge-based authentication (KBA). (Correct answer)
- Relying solely on the signer's verbal confirmation of their name and date of birth during the video session.
Correct answer: Using a combination of remote presentation of a government-issued ID, credential analysis, and knowledge-based authentication (KBA).
For a remotely located individual not personally known to the notary, DC law requires a multi-factor identity verification process, which includes credential analysis of a government-issued ID and a dynamic knowledge-based authentication assessment.
Question 3: During a remote notarization, the audio-visual connection is unstable and repeatedly freezes, preventing the DC notary from clearly seeing and hearing the signer execute the document. What is the appropriate action for the notary to take?
- Proceed with the notarization as long as the signer's signature is visible at some point.
- Ask the signer to mail the document and complete the notarization upon receipt.
- Terminate the session and inform the signer that the notarization cannot be completed until a clear and continuous audio-visual connection is established. (Correct answer)
- Complete the notarial certificate but make a note in the journal about the poor connection quality.
Correct answer: Terminate the session and inform the signer that the notarization cannot be completed until a clear and continuous audio-visual connection is established.
A fundamental requirement of remote notarization is simultaneous, real-time audio-visual communication that is clear enough for the notary to perform all the duties of a traditional notarization. If the technology fails to provide this, the notarization cannot be properly completed and must be stopped.
Question 4: Which of the following is a mandatory requirement for a DC notary's electronic journal when recording remote notarizations?
- The journal must be a paper-based, permanently bound book with numbered pages.
- The journal must be stored on a personal, unencrypted flash drive for easy transport.
- The notary is not required to collect the signer's signature but must note that the act was performed remotely. (Correct answer)
- The journal entry can be made up to 48 hours after the notarial act is completed.
Correct answer: The notary is not required to collect the signer's signature but must note that the act was performed remotely.
DC rules clarify that for remote notarizations, the notary is not required to collect and maintain the signature of the remotely located signer in the journal. Instead, the entry must include a notation that the notarization was performed remotely.
Question 5: A DC-commissioned notary is physically located in their office in Washington, D.C. They are asked to perform a Remote Online Notarization (RON) for a signer who is currently on vacation in California. According to DC law, is this permissible?
- No, the signer must be physically located within the District of Columbia during the RON session.
- No, the notary must travel to the signer's location to perform the notarization.
- Yes, provided the notary is physically located within the District of Columbia at the time of the notarial act.
- Yes, but only if the document pertains to property located exclusively within the District of Columbia. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Yes, but only if the document pertains to property located exclusively within the District of Columbia.
For a remote notarization, the DC notary public must be physically located within the geographical borders of the District of Columbia. The law allows the signer to be located elsewhere.
Question 6: What must a DC notary's electronic seal, used for in-person or remote electronic notarizations, be capable of doing?
- It must be a scanned image of the notary's physical embosser.
- It must be logically associated with the document and be tamper-evident. (Correct answer)
- It must contain the notary's home address and phone number.
- It must automatically expire and be renewed every 30 days.
Correct answer: It must be logically associated with the document and be tamper-evident.
The electronic seal must be unique to the notary, capable of independent verification, and attached to the electronic document in such a way that it is invalidated if any subsequent changes are made to the document, making it tamper-evident.
Free DC NOTARY Electronic Notarization Procedures Questions and Answers
A DC notary authorized to perform remote notarizations completes a session for a remotely located individual.
What is the minimum period the notary must retain the audio-visual recording of this notarial act?