5 questions to ask when choosing a RON platform

0 states have enacted laws permitting remote online notarizations (RON). In many of these states, you will need to choose an approved RON platform that provides the technology you need to remotely notarize. How do you choose the one that's best for you? We asked remote Notaries what are the 5 most important questions to ask when choosing a RON platform. Here's their list:

1. Does the platform meet your state's RON requirements?

2. What security measures does the platform use to protect your Notary records?

3. How much does it cost to sign up?

4. How easy is the platform to use?

5. Does the platform provide technical support?

Question 1: Does the platform meet your state's RON requirements? RON requirements and laws vary between states. It's vital to choose a platform that complies with your Notary laws. Most states either require RON platforms to be approved by the commissioning official or meet performance standards established for the performance of remote notarizations. If a state requires formal approval, the Notary regulating agency usually will provide a list of approved platforms. Information on each state's RON requirements is available on the NNA Knowledge Center RON resources page. (Note: The NNA does not endorse any specific remote notarization platform. — The Editors) John Bayne, the 2021 Notary of the Year and one of the first remote Notaries in Florida, also suggests Notary Signing Agents ask if a platform is MISMO (Mortgage Industry Standard Maintenance Organization) compliant if they want to perform loan document signings using RON. Question 2: What security measures does the platform use to protect your Notary records? Once you confirm the platform meets your state's requirements, you should ask what security measures the platform uses to protect your information and records. Many platforms also provide storage for remote notarization journal records and audiovisual recordings, or contract with a repository to provides storage for these notarial records. Look at the terms of service or any contract you are required to sign with a platform or repository for information about their security measures and practices. You'll want to know how they protect passwords, the level of encryption they use to protect journal entries and audiovisual recordings, and whether they allow anyone to access these records without your consent. Question 3: How much does it cost to sign up? The remote Notaries we spoke to said it's important to carefully review the cost of signing up with a platform — especially if there are fees for other services provided. For example, some vendors charge monthly or annual fees to users. Here are some other types of extra charges platforms may charge:

• Fee for video links and storage of Notary records

• A separate fee each time you use the platform

• If the platform also provides you with assignments, a fee for setting up assignments for you. Such a fee may or may not be waived if the client can't provide satisfactory ID or the Notary decides they are not comfortable completing the signing

• Maintenance costs

Kentucky Notary John Holder reminded readers that being a Notary is a business and keeping track of RON platform expenses is necessary to run a successful business.

Question 4: How easy is the platform to use?

Another important factor when choosing a RON platform is how easy it is for you and your signers to use.

Betty Krachey, a Notary in Tennessee who has been performing RONs for about a year, likes RON platforms that allow Notaries to perform a "free demo" for signers before the actual notarization to show how the process works. This helps the Notary guide a customer who is having difficulty with RON.

Tanica Minnis, a Florida Notary who uses Notarize as her preferred platform, said she likes how the platform sends reminder emails to her clients about scheduled appointments and is easy to use for her and her customers.

Question 5: Does the platform provide technical support?

Finally, remote Notaries said it's important to ask if the platform provides tech support if there's an issue with the system during a notarization.

Virginia Notary Takisha Robinson, who uses Secured Signing, said she not only asked if tech support was available before signing up but also wanted to know when support was available. Would they be available 24/7 to help her? If not, Robinson said it's good to check where the platform is located, as available support may be available only during business hours in the time zone where the platform is located.

Krachey described how she was once performing a remote notarization for a signer located abroad, and the RON platform she formerly used crashed. She contacted them for help, but they didn't respond for a week. She says she prefers her current platform, SIGNiX, because they not only provide faster support, they also offer monthly meetings to share updates about their platform and answer questions from Notaries.

Final note: Some states — but not all — allow signing up with multiple platforms

In some states, Notaries must use a single RON platform, but other states may allow Notaries to sign up with more than one. Bayne suggested new RON Notaries confirm whether your state allows the use of multiple platforms before choosing your platform.