A New Bill Could Allow Digital Closings Nationwide

"Dubbed the SECURE Notarization Act, the bill would allow for remote online notarization services nationwide."

Why this is important: In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the days of in-person real estate closing may be going by the wayside. During the pandemic, several states adopted remote notarization practices that allowed for remote closings. Now, Congress is considering the SECURE Notarization Act that would enable remote notarization services for all licensed notaries in the country provided they follow certain security matters such as “tamper-evident technology” or multifactor authentication. The Act would apply not only to real estate closings, but would liberalize notarization for any document, including estate papers and affidavits.