WA Notary Electronic and Remote Online Notarization 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Washington State law, which agency approves the technology platforms used for remote online notarization?
- The Washington State Bar Association
- The Federal Reserve Board
- The Washington Secretary of State (Correct answer)
- The county auditor in the notary's county
Correct answer: The Washington Secretary of State
The Washington Secretary of State is responsible for approving technology platforms that notaries may use to conduct remote online notarizations.
Question 2: In the context of remote online notarization, what is 'credential analysis'?
- Verifying the notary's commission status in the state database
- A technology-based process that authenticates a signer's government-issued ID (Correct answer)
- Reviewing the educational or professional credentials of the signer
- Checking whether the document itself is authentic
Correct answer: A technology-based process that authenticates a signer's government-issued ID
Credential analysis is a technology process that examines security features of the signer's government-issued ID to verify its authenticity remotely.
Question 3: Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) for remote online notarization requires the signer to do which of the following?
- Provide a shared password previously agreed upon with the notary
- Answer questions dynamically generated from their personal history and public records (Correct answer)
- Present a physical ID document directly to the camera
- Sign a paper document before the video session begins
Correct answer: Answer questions dynamically generated from their personal history and public records
KBA requires the signer to correctly answer questions derived from their personal history and public records, confirming their identity through knowledge only they should possess.
Question 4: Which of the following notarial acts can a Washington notary perform via remote online notarization?
- Certifying a copy of a birth certificate issued by the state vital records office
- Witnessing the execution of a will as required by probate statute
- Taking an acknowledgment on a real estate document (Correct answer)
- Performing an in-court oath administration
Correct answer: Taking an acknowledgment on a real estate document
Taking an acknowledgment is a standard notarial act that can be performed via remote online notarization under Washington law.
Question 5: If a signer fails knowledge-based authentication (KBA) during a remote online notarization session, the Washington notary must:
- Complete the notarization based on the credential analysis result alone
- Immediately retry KBA with the same set of questions
- Refuse to complete the notarization (Correct answer)
- Contact the Secretary of State's office for guidance before proceeding
Correct answer: Refuse to complete the notarization
Failing KBA means the required identity standard has not been met, so the notary must refuse to complete the notarization.
Question 6: Which statement correctly describes the legal status of an electronic signature used in Washington State notarizations?
- Any commercially available electronic signature service may be used freely
- Only UETA-compliant signatures are valid for notarial acts
- The notary's electronic signature must be unique to them and capable of independent verification (Correct answer)
- Electronic signatures are not legally recognized for any notarial acts in Washington
Correct answer: The notary's electronic signature must be unique to them and capable of independent verification
Washington law requires that a notary's electronic signature be unique to the notary and capable of independent verification to ensure authenticity and prevent misuse.
Question 7: A Washington notary performs a remote online notarization for a signer located in another state. Under Washington law, this act is:
- Invalid because interstate notarizations are prohibited by federal law
- Valid if it complies with Washington's remote online notarization requirements (Correct answer)
- Only valid if the other state has also enacted RON legislation
- Requires pre-approval from both states' Secretaries of State
Correct answer: Valid if it complies with Washington's remote online notarization requirements
A Washington-commissioned notary may conduct RON for signers in other states, provided the act complies with Washington's RON statutes and the notary is physically in Washington.
WA Notary Electronic and Remote Online Notarization 2
Under Washington State law, which agency approves the technology platforms used for remote online notarization?