ALTA strives to help members identify the benefits and risks associated with digital closings in order to put the industry in the best position to solve problems and inspire innovative ideas. ALTA is your source for tools and education about various aspects of digital closing and provide information about the availability of technological advances such as remote online rotary (RON).
Digital Closings/Remote Online Notarization
Remote Online Notarization Videos
Introductory Videos on RON
Introduction to Digital Closings
Get a quick overview of the various types of digital closings, as well as the benefits and operational efficiencies they can provide.
Digital Closings: A Closer Look
Get the 411 on all the terms and acronyms associated with digital closings. Understand what they mean and the processes associated with each of them.
Remote Online Notarization
Learn about the various steps and requirements for performing a RON.
Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts Video Series
That Darn Promissory Note
Sponsored by Qualia
Listen to the first installment of the Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts video series as we discuss "That Darn Promissory Note." Joining Lisa Steele of Mother Lode Holding Co. and Eddie Oddo of First American Title Insurance Co. is Camilia Martin with Falcon Capital Advisors.
Agent Spotlight Boots on the Ground
Sponsored by Qualia
Eddie Oddo, vice president of First American Title's corporate business solutions, speaks with Web Raulston, CEO of Team Title Services in Tennessee, and Kelli Flores, vice president of First American's direct operations in Colorado. Learn how these title agents are approaching RON and RIN.
Boots on the Ground, The Real Story
Sponsored by FNF Family of Companies
During this third Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts video series, Lisa Steele of Mother Lode Holding Co. and Eddie Oddo of First American Title Insurance Co. discuss how title companies are handling remote online notarizations with Celia Flowers of East Texas Title and Dennis Pospisil of Republic Title of Texas.
The 411 on MISMO's RON Certification
During this latest installment of Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts, Lisa Steele of Mother Lode Holding Co. and Eddie Oddo of First American Title Insurance Co. talk with Rick Hill of the Mortgage Bankers Association about MISMO's Remote Online Notarization Certification.
Agent Spotlight Boots on the Ground
Check out this bonus Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts video as Lisa Steele of Mother Lode Holding Co. and Eddie Oddo of First American Title Insurance Co. talk with Celia Flowers of East Texas Title and Dennis Pospisil of Republic Title of Texas about how remote online notarizations have affected E&O coverage.
Resources
2022 Digital Closing Survey Results(Member-only Access, Log In Here)
Notarization Types and Terminology This infographic breaks down the various ways notarizations can occur and explains their capabilities and requirements.
This video walks through the remote notarization process, which connects consumers and notaries using two-way audio and video conferencing technology.
State Laws Authorizing Remote e-Notarization
Emergency orders and guidance issued by states on RON do not necessarily conform with the ALTA-MBA model or RULONA standards for consumer protections and anti-fraud safeguards. The powers of entities to issue such orders should to be reviewed on a state-by-state basis. Prior to relying on any emergency order or guidance, you should contact your underwriter. 48 states and the District of Columbia have either passed a RON law or issued an executive order pertaining to remotely notarizing documents, some have done both.
Please email any additional orders or guidance not listed to eblosser@alta.org.
Green indicates when RON laws were passed with darker green more recently. Click on each state for links to Laws and Regulations. Click "x" to close.
Federal Legislation
The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2020 (SECURE Notarization Act) would permit immediate nationwide use of remote online notary (RON) with minimum standards and provide certainty for the interstate recognition of RON.
In a recent report aimed at identifying improvements to the regulatory landscape that will better support financial technology and foster innovation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury offered three key recommendations to improve the electronic closing and recording process.
The ability to digitally purchase a home or refinance a mortgage is contingent on the laws in each state. While a digital closing is an option is many states, there are many ways consumers can complete their transactions.
Qualia announced it has raised $55 million in Series C financing led by Tiger Global, along with existing investors Bienville Capital, 8VC and Menlo Ventures.
Developed as a new stand-alone company, Endpoint combines First American’s title and settlement expertise with a startup to provide a digital real estate closing experience from start to finish. First American has invested $30 million to drive the company’s development and growth.
Eighty percent of title companies are interested in conducting digital closings or have already closed some type of hybrid, electronic or remote online closing, according to recent ALTA survey. Read on to learn what top factors affect a title company's timeline to implement technology to conduct digital closings.
San Francisco-based real estate technology company Snapdocs has raised $25 million in series B funding to further develop its digital closing platform as well as its artificial intelligence offerings.
Ginnie Mae issued a Request for Input (RFI) on the requirements that address the acceptability of digital promissory notes and other electronic documents as well as participation in its Digital Collateral Pilot.
According to a new survey from Solidifi, eight in 10 consumers still prefer to complete their transaction in person. The results reinforce the importance of having a professional and qualified closing agent at the table as they proceed through the closing process on a home purchase or refinance.
The Digital Closing Hub is available to FNF title agents nationwide and provides content focused on industry news, educational materials for agents and their office staff, marketing tips when it comes to dealing with lenders and real estate agents, and a list of approved vendors to help with the digital closing process.
Through Amrock, a sister company of Quicken Loans, there are three ways to complete a mortgage electronically: an in-person hybrid e-closing, an in-person electronic notarization and a remote online notarization.
You asked, we answered: We have added two new dates to the Digital Closing & eMortgage Boot Camps! ALTA and the Mortgage Bankers Association have teamed up to bring you a series of live events in 2019-2020 to help your business navigate the digital closing process.
Ohio’s remote online legislation, which follows key principles of the ALTA-MBA model, went into effect Sept. 20. The state adopted MISMO’s standards in its administrative rules for implementing the Notary Public Modernization Act.
ALTA’s Real Property Records Committee has finalized a white paper titled “Privacy, Redaction, and Public Land Records,” which provides guidance on the redaction of information in the public land records. The paper makes recommendations for effective solutions to protect privacy in the public land records.
Digital closings and the companies facilitating them are undoubtedly on the rise. Whether you have participated in a hybrid closing, remote online notarization or a full in-person e-closing—or even if you have no experience with digital closings at all—we want to hear about it by taking ALTA's Digital Closing Survey. Among the questions, the survey will capture information on whether companies have been asked to conduct a digital closing, when they expect to conduct these types of closings and a company's readiness for digital closings.
“We worked diligently to give our customers the ability to securely share documents and also have those documents electronically signed, all within the same system,” said Andy White, ClosingLock’s CEO and co-founder. “Several of our current clients gave us great insight into their system needs, and we believe our new e-signing feature fulfills those needs.”
