L.A. County Says It Accepts E-signed, Notarized Documents

May 21, 2020

While California does not allow for remote online notarization (RON), the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder issued a memo indicating the office accepts electronically signed and notarized documents.

According to the memo, the department will accept electronically signed and notarized documents, including RON, if the following conditions are met:

  1. The acknowledgment is taken in accordance with the law of the State where the acknowledgment is made per California Civil Code 1189(b).
    As these notary laws are changing rapidly at this time, our office refers to the National Notary Association's new law database for the most current information located here nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/news/law-updates
  2. The electronically signed and notarized document is submitted electronically through SECURE if the submitter has completed and returned the new MOU released to all existing customers March 30, 2020.
  3. The electronically signed and notarized document may be submitted as paper, only if the State where the acknowledgment takes place allows for a “papering out” process and the document is accompanied by a notary certification, with an original signature and seal by a notary, to certify the electronic record.


Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or communications@alta.org.