RI Notary Remote Online Notarization (RON) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Before performing a remote online notarization for the first time, what must a Rhode Island notary do?
- Notify the Secretary of State and identify the communication technology to be used (Correct answer)
- Obtain a court order authorizing remote acts
- Pass a separate state-administered RON exam
- Register with the county clerk where the signer lives
Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State and identify the communication technology to be used
Rhode Island requires notaries to notify the Secretary of State and identify their chosen RON technology before performing their first remote notarization.
Question 2: During a RON session, where must the Rhode Island notary be physically located?
- Within the state of Rhode Island (Correct answer)
- Anywhere in the United States
- Anywhere in the world, as long as the signer is in Rhode Island
- In the same county as the signer
Correct answer: Within the state of Rhode Island
The notary must be physically located in Rhode Island when performing the remote notarization, even though the signer may be elsewhere.
Question 3: A remotely located signer has never met the notary. Which method satisfies identity verification for RON?
- Credential analysis of a government-issued ID plus identity proofing of the individual (Correct answer)
- The signer verbally stating their name and date of birth
- Emailing a photocopy of a utility bill
- A friend of the signer vouching for them by phone after the session
Correct answer: Credential analysis of a government-issued ID plus identity proofing of the individual
Without personal knowledge or a credible witness, RON requires at least two forms of verification, typically credential analysis combined with identity proofing such as knowledge-based authentication.
Question 4: What must the notarial certificate indicate when an act is performed remotely?
- That the notarization was performed using communication technology (Correct answer)
- The brand name of the webcam used
- The signer's IP address
- The notary's home address
Correct answer: That the notarization was performed using communication technology
The certificate must state that the notarial act was performed using communication technology so relying parties know it was a remote act.
Question 5: How long must the audio-visual recording of a RON session generally be retained?
- At least 10 years (Correct answer)
- At least 1 year
- At least 90 days
- Only until the document is recorded
Correct answer: At least 10 years
Rhode Island's RON provisions, consistent with RULONA, require the recording to be retained for at least 10 years.
Question 6: What is 'knowledge-based authentication' (KBA) in the RON context?
- A quiz drawing on the signer's personal history that the signer must answer within a time limit (Correct answer)
- A test of the signer's knowledge of notary law
- The notary's memory of the signer's face
- A password shared between the notary and signer before the session
Correct answer: A quiz drawing on the signer's personal history that the signer must answer within a time limit
KBA verifies identity by requiring the signer to correctly answer questions derived from public and proprietary data about their personal history.
Question 7: Which of the following is required of the communication technology used in a RON session?
- Simultaneous, real-time audio and visual interaction between the notary and the signer (Correct answer)
- Prerecorded video submitted by the signer
- Audio-only telephone connection
- Text chat with photo attachments
Correct answer: Simultaneous, real-time audio and visual interaction between the notary and the signer
RON requires live, two-way audio-visual communication so the notary can see and hear the signer in real time.
RI Notary Remote Online Notarization (RON) 2
Before performing a remote online notarization for the first time, what must a Rhode Island notary do?