Connecticut Legalizes Remote Online Notarization
For a long time, Connecticut as a state had been operating under a temporary Executive Order permitting remote online notarization stemming from the Covid era. However, this temporary order expired on July 1, 2021, leaving Connecticut notaries without a means to perform online notarization like like over >95% of the United States. There was a short period where these online notarizations were not permitted in Connecticut.
Prior to this expiration on June 12, 2023, the Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act 23-28, An Act Concerning Remote Notarial Acts. This Act became effective October 1, 2023, thusly legalizing Online Notarization for Notary Publics to perform in the state of Connecticut.
Remote Online Notarization in Connecticut Specifics
While the new bill effective October 1, 2022 authorizes remote notarization of documents, the current legislation would prohibits remote notarizations for select transactions such as for real estate transactions or the making or execution of a Will or Codicil. For full details on prohibited executions, we recommend reading through Substitute Senate Bill No. 1040 Public Act No. 23-28 AN ACT CONCERNING REMOTE NOTARIAL ACTS.
What does it mean for the Connecticut Public?
While Cross-State Notarization was already legal, this means that public citizens of Connecticut were already able to get their legal documents notarized online via notaries from other states. Now though, they are able to work with notaries from within their own state that are more likely to be more familiar with specific laws relating to Connecticut notarization. Any prudent notary in the state of Connecticut will have read through Public Act No. 23-28 AN ACT CONCERNING REMOTE NOTARIAL ACTS. The odds of them having done this are are much higher than a notary in a neighboring state.
Overall, for the average person in need of a notary in the state of Connecticut, it just makes the entire process easier, faster, and more convenient. It also makes their Notarizations more secure as the entire execution is stored on video for at least 10 years, making it extremely difficult to be dismissed in any court of law.
What does it mean for the Connecticut Notaries?
For Connecticut Notaries Public, this now means they get to compete on an even playing field with the rest of the notaries in the country who have begun moving their own Notary Public or Signing Service businesses online. Connecticut notaries are now able to service people who live in other states from the comfort and safety of their own home or at their place of business. We expect to see a lot more notaries moving their businesses online from the state of Connecticut in the year 2023 and onward.
