MA Notary Electronic and Remote Online Notarization 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Does Massachusetts currently authorize remote online notarization (RON)?
- No, Massachusetts prohibits all remote notarization
- Yes, Massachusetts has enacted laws authorizing remote online notarization (Correct answer)
- Only for federal government documents
- Only during declared states of emergency
Correct answer: Yes, Massachusetts has enacted laws authorizing remote online notarization
Massachusetts has enacted legislation permitting remote online notarization, allowing notaries to serve signers who appear via audio-visual technology.
Question 2: In a Massachusetts remote online notarization, how must the signer's identity be verified?
- Personal knowledge alone is sufficient
- Through credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), or both, as prescribed by approved RON platforms (Correct answer)
- By mailing a copy of their ID to the notary
- Through a sworn affidavit sent by email
Correct answer: Through credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), or both, as prescribed by approved RON platforms
RON identity verification requires technology-driven methods such as credential analysis and knowledge-based authentication to compensate for lack of physical presence.
Question 3: Must a Massachusetts remote online notarization session be recorded?
- No, recording is optional
- Yes, the audio-visual session must be recorded and retained (Correct answer)
- Only for real estate transactions
- Only if the signer requests it
Correct answer: Yes, the audio-visual session must be recorded and retained
Massachusetts RON law requires that the audio-visual communication session be recorded and that the recording be retained as part of the notarial record.
Question 4: For how long must a Massachusetts notary retain a remote online notarization recording?
- 1 year
- 3 years
- 5 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 10 years
Massachusetts requires RON session recordings to be retained for 10 years following the date of the notarial act.
Question 5: Can a Massachusetts notary perform a remote online notarization for a signer located in another state?
- No, both parties must be in Massachusetts
- Yes, if the notary is a commissioned Massachusetts notary and the RON platform is approved (Correct answer)
- Only if the other state also authorizes RON
- Only for interstate real estate transactions
Correct answer: Yes, if the notary is a commissioned Massachusetts notary and the RON platform is approved
A Massachusetts commissioned notary may perform RON for signers located outside Massachusetts, as the notary's authority extends to their commission regardless of the signer's location.
Question 6: What technology requirement must be met for a Massachusetts remote online notarization?
- A telephone call is sufficient
- Real-time, two-way audio-visual communication enabling both parties to see and hear each other (Correct answer)
- A video recording sent to the notary
- A live text chat with photo ID attached
Correct answer: Real-time, two-way audio-visual communication enabling both parties to see and hear each other
RON requires synchronous, two-way audio-visual communication so the notary and signer can interact in real time, mimicking the face-to-face requirement of traditional notarization.
MA Notary Electronic and Remote Online Notarization 1
Does Massachusetts currently authorize remote online notarization (RON)?