Featured Resources
Video
ALTA's Digital Transformation Video Series
Get a quick overview of the various types of digital closings, as well as the benefits and operational efficiencies they can provide.
Video
Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts
ALTA's Digital Closing Experts tackle several issues in the Remote Online Notarization forum, including, "That Darn Promissory Note."
Education Flyer
Notarization Types and Terminology
This infographic breaks down the various ways notarizations can occur and explains their capabilities and requirements.
Advocacy & Policy
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.
State Legislative Tools
In the United States, real estate transfer documents are typically recorded in local land records at the end of a transaction. These public records provide the world with constructive notice about American property rights. The ability to rely on the validity of these records is central to our real estate market and provides a fundamental foundation for all parties when mortgaging, purchasing, and selling real property.
Resources & Tools
Seller Impersonation Fraud in Real Estate
Fraudsters are pretending to be property owners to sell commercial or residential property unlawfully. These sophisticated fraudsters are using the real property owner's legitimate social security and driver's license numbers during the transaction, as well as valid notary credentials, which may be used without the notary's knowledge.
An Introduction to Digital Closings for Consumers
Thanks to innovations by the title and settlement services industry, consumers are able to close on their dream home from the comfort of their couch in most cases. This video is meant as a baseline introduction to digital closings.
SECURE Notarization Act Handout
The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act (SECURE Notarization Act) increases access to remote transactions for consumers. The last year has demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to modernize services across a variety of markets.
Find Digital Closing Vendors in ALTA Marketplace
The ALTA Marketplace is your one-stop solution for title industry products and services! The ALTA Marketplace is a free tool that allows title and settlement companies to search for resources by name, field, location and relevance.
News & Insights
Many Still Prefer In-person Closings, 19% Prefer RON
A large share of borrowers wants some digital closing tools, but the majority still prefer in-person interactions, according to survey data from Solidifi, a vendor that provides valuation, title and settlement services to the residential mortgage lending industry. The 2022 consumer mortgage experience survey, which had over 1,000 participants, found that about 81% of borrowers want a face-to-face closing and 19% prefer remote online notarization.
RON Use Projected to Increase in 2022
Companies currently offering remote online notarizations (RON) expect these types of closings to increase in 2022, according to ALTA’s latest 2022 Digital Closing Survey. The survey of 390 title professionals showed that 62% of companies offering RON believe this offering will increase over the next year, while a third reported they don’t anticipate any change. Read on for more survey results.
Data Shows Digital Notarizations Help Remove 800K Cars From Roads
According to data from Notarize and The Bridgespan Group, digitizing the entire notarization market across all industries by 2031is expected to reduce nearly four million metric tons of GHG emissions, or the equivalent of over 800,000 cars a year.
Virtual Real-estate Closings Go Mainstream, but Some States Hold Out
Real-estate closings can now take place remotely in most states, a shift that accelerated as much of life moved online during the pandemic. Mortgage lenders are pushing the remaining states to come on board, too, though lawmakers have reservations. In July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a series of bills rolled into a package that included the ALTA-supported Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic (SECURE) Notarization Act (H.R. 3962). the bipartisan bill has 128 cosponsors in the House. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Mark Warner (D-VA) have introduced a companion bill in the Senate. The bill has 12 cosponsors in the Senate.
North Carolina Passes RON Bill With Geolocation Requirement
North Carolina passed a bill that permits the use of remote online notarization (RON). The statute will go into effect July 1, 2023. One wrinkle in the statute that is causing concern requires notaries to verify the geolocation via communication technology of the remotely located principal. In addition, the ability to provide the geolocation of the remotely located principal is a requirement for a RON platform provider to get licensed by the Secretary of State.
MISMO Certifies DocMagic Platform
DocMagic attained MISMO’s eClosing System and remote online notarization (RON) certifications for its Total eClose solution.
SoftPro Integrates With Notarize
Notarize’s On-Demand Notary service connects SoftPro users with a nationwide network of commissioned Notarize notaries.
Study Finds RON Drives ROI for Title Agents, Lenders
Title agents can save up to $100 per transaction and lenders up to $444 per loan when electronically closed with Remote Online Notarization (RON), according to a study by MarketWise Advisors.
ALTA Partners With MISMO for e-Eligibility Exchange Initiative
ALTA announced that it will be the sole provider of title and settlement data for the MISMO e-Eligibility Exchange, powered by Snapdocs. The e-Eligibility Exchange features information on trading partner requirements, e-notarization regulations, county recording requirements, settlement agent readiness and title underwriter restrictions. The platform helps real estate and finance professionals navigate these factors so each closing can be as digital as possible. Get your free listing in the ALTA Registry so your company is part of the e-Eligibility Exchange.
Paymints.io Integrates With Notarize
Paymints.io announced an integration with online notarization provider Notarize that will allow users to see if a transaction is eligible for a digital closing, including online notarization.
N.Y. Governor Signs Bill Amending RON Law
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law Senate Bill 7780, which makes significant updates to the prior remote online notarization (RON) bill that was signed in late 2021. New York became the 39th state to allow RON. Among other things, the amendment moves the effective date the state's notaries can conduct RONs to Jan. 31, 2023, and starting Feb. 24, 2022, the bill temporarily authorizes notaries to perform notarial acts using a video conference notarization process, known as remote ink-signed notarization (RIN), until the full RON law goes into effect.
39 States Have Passed RON Legislation
New York became the 39th state to pass legislation allowing the use of remote online notarization (RON). The law is supported by the New York State Land Title Association (NYSLTA) and ALTA.