IL Notary - Illinois Notary Exam Electronic and Remote Online Notarization (RON) Procedures 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a remote online notarization (RON) session, where must the Illinois notary be physically located?
- Anywhere in the United States, as long as the platform is approved
- In the same state as the signer
- Within the state of Illinois (Correct answer)
- In any jurisdiction that has enacted RON legislation
Correct answer: Within the state of Illinois
Illinois law requires the notary to be physically located within Illinois at the time of performing a RON. The signer, however, may be located anywhere—domestically or internationally—provided the notary can verify identity through approved means.
Question 2: What is 'knowledge-based authentication' (KBA) as used in Illinois RON identity verification?
- A government-issued ID scan compared against a national database
- A biometric fingerprint match conducted through the RON platform
- A dynamic quiz of personal history questions drawn from public and financial records (Correct answer)
- A one-time passcode sent to the signer's registered mobile number
Correct answer: A dynamic quiz of personal history questions drawn from public and financial records
KBA presents the signer with dynamic questions—such as past addresses, loan amounts, or vehicle history—generated from public records and credit data. The signer must answer correctly within a time limit to pass this layer of identity verification.
Question 3: How long must an Illinois notary retain the audio-visual recording of a RON session?
- 3 years from the date of the notarial act
- 5 years from the date of the notarial act
- 7 years from the date of the notarial act
- 10 years from the date of the notarial act (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 10 years from the date of the notarial act
Illinois law requires that electronic records of RON sessions, including the audio-visual recording, be retained for a minimum of 10 years. This is consistent with the retention period for the electronic notary journal.
Question 4: Which statement correctly describes where the signer may be located during an Illinois RON session?
- The signer must be physically present in Illinois
- The signer may be located anywhere in the world (Correct answer)
- The signer must be in a U.S. state that has enacted RON laws
- The signer must be in a state where the document will be recorded
Correct answer: The signer may be located anywhere in the world
Unlike the notary—who must be in Illinois—the signer may be located anywhere domestically or internationally. Illinois RON law does not restrict the signer's physical location, making it possible to notarize documents for signers abroad.
Question 5: What must an Illinois notary's certificate of notarial act include when the notarization is performed via RON?
- The IP address and device type used by the signer
- A statement indicating the notarial act was performed using communication technology (Correct answer)
- The name of the RON platform vendor and its state approval number
- The signer's physical address at the time of the session
Correct answer: A statement indicating the notarial act was performed using communication technology
Illinois requires that the notarial certificate for a RON transaction include a statement that the notarial act was performed by means of communication technology. This disclosure distinguishes remote notarizations from traditional in-person ones on the face of the document.
Question 6: If the audio-visual connection is interrupted or becomes inadequate during a RON session, what must the Illinois notary do?
- Continue the session using audio-only communication until the connection is restored
- Complete the notarization and note the interruption in the electronic journal
- Stop the notarial act and restart or reschedule the session once communication is restored (Correct answer)
- Proceed if the signer verbally confirms their identity before the connection dropped
Correct answer: Stop the notarial act and restart or reschedule the session once communication is restored
Illinois RON law requires continuous, clear audio-visual communication throughout the session. If the connection is interrupted or falls below the required standard, the notary must halt the notarial act. The session must be restarted with a fully functional connection—or rescheduled—before the notarization can be completed.
IL Notary - Illinois Notary Exam Electronic and Remote Online Notarization (RON) Procedures 1
During a remote online notarization (RON) session, where must the Illinois notary be physically located?