Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Illinois residents can now easily access electronic notary services
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Illinois residents can now easily access electronic notary services

Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers were told earlier today about this change. Press release…

Illinois residents will no longer need to have documents notarized in person under a new Electronic Notary system administered by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office.

Electronic Notarization, or “E-Notary,” will radically change the way people use notary services, Giannoulias predicted. Without leaving the home or office, an individual or business can have their documents notarized and signed electronically within minutes.

“In keeping with our ongoing effort to modernize the Secretary of State’s office, E-Notary serves as a game-changer for Illinoisans by now providing a convenient way to notarize documents without leaving their home or office,” Giannoulias said. “Enabling certified notaries to work virtually makes the process faster and more secure for individuals and
businesses alike.”

E-Notary allows both the customer and notary to sign with an electronic signature and to electronically attach both the notarial certificate and notary seal to a document. In 2021, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation to allow the Secretary of State to implement electronic notarization.

Upon taking office last year, Giannoulias made it a priority to gain state approval of administrative rules, create a new application reflecting the E-Notary requirements, review and approve E-Notary technology platform providers, and train staff to process the new E-Notary applications.

Illinois now joins 47 other states that allow electronic notaries to operate. Although, Illinois had allowed remote online notarization, it required all parties (the notaries, signers and witnesses) to be located in Illinois. With Electronic Notarization, only the notary is required to be present in Illinois. The other parties may be located outside the state.

Additionally, while someone could sign the document remotely by audio-video communication with remote online notarization, the notary had to sign the notarized paper document and apply the notary seal in ink. With E-Notary, the document, signing and seal are all electronically applied, dramatically reducing the time it takes to notarize a document.

To find a notary who offers electronic notarization, customers can visit ilsos.gov/notarysearch. Customers will need a computer, phone or other device that supports audio-video communication and a valid form of identification to complete the notarization electronically.

When getting a document notarized, the Notary Public or Electronic Notary will:

    • Require the customer to personally appear before them via an audio-video
    communication platform during the notarization.
    • Check over the document to ensure it is complete and verify the name on the
    document matches the customer’s ID.
    • Confirm the identity of the customer by examining their ID.
    • Once steps 1 through 3 are done, the customer will be permitted to sign the
    document electronically.
    • The Notary Public will then complete the notarial certificate and affix their seal.

The office has already received over 200 applications from existing Notaries Public applying to be E-Notaries.

Fees for services vary by provider but are capped by state law at $5 for any notarial act and $25 for any electronic notarial act. All Notaries Public are required to provide receipts and keep records of the fees they charged for services provided.

Thoughts?

       

17 Comments
  1. - Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 10:04 am:

    Kudos.

    The end of in-person banking has made getting documents notarized in person a particular hassle, especially for working families and people with mobility issues.

    People can make purchases online for thousands of dollars, and Amazon or Home Depot know it is you. Government needs to keep up with the private sector and the tech when it comes to customer service.

    I’d just like to see the electronic notary fee reduced to something more reasonable, like $10.


  2. - cover - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 10:09 am:

    Hopefully Secretary Giannoulias and his staff reviewed the processes used by the other states to inform their implementation of e-notary in Illinois. Sometimes being late to the game can be useful.


  3. - West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 10:22 am:

    E-Notary, DMV. What’s with this guy and his letters?


  4. - that’s bettor - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 10:28 am:

    That’ll help during petition season for non-partisan candidates that don’t normally have access to a notary paid for by the party apparatus. Could get pricey for them though.


  5. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 10:44 am:

    ===What’s with this guy===

    Look, if you prefer living with 1st Century technology, fine. But, c’mon.


  6. - ElTacoBandito - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 10:58 am:

    No wet ink notarizations? How will we prevent fraud going forward? /s

    Long time coming.


  7. - West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 11:24 am:

    Rich - No problem with technology, just his use of letters, including the much discussed DMV. And if he was in the 1st Century he’d probably call the Currus Adnotatione Department (Chariot Registration Department) as CAD. (Tough get that through automiscorrect.)


  8. - DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 11:27 am:

    Best part is f being a Notary used to be that big heavy seal you got to squeeze onto the document. Then they want to a cheap stamp and now electronic? All down hill. Now I have to go yell at some kids and get them off my yard


  9. - West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 11:29 am:

    “Tough to get” Guess I shouldn’t have insulted automiscorrect.


  10. - Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 11:38 am:

    Be careful using data to prove your point: One of the reasons seniors have the lowest rate of crashes is because we test them all before they can drive. If we eliminate the test the data may show something different.

    Can we test this in one region or something?


  11. - RNUG - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 11:43 am:

    Couple of observations.

    1) My local bank still does in person notary services free for account holders. Just used them last week for a State Treasurers form that required it; simple walk in, sign, stamp, walk out.

    2) Over the past 4 years or so I’ve used e signature platforms for multiple different real estate transactions. Plus multiple tax return filings. No problems; everybody accepted that. With the safeguards this has, it appears more secure that all those transactions.

    I will note that the State Treasurer’s Office allowed an e signature for small amounts, but they wanted real paper for any claims over $5,000.


  12. - JoanP - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 11:47 am:

    Seems reasonable to me.


  13. - The Magnificent Purple Walnut - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 12:02 pm:

    Our local library also offers free notary services. As mentioned by Thomas Paine, the ability to use this online is a major help for people with disabilities and those that assist them. Long overdue.


  14. - thisjustinagain - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 12:10 pm:

    Well, it is 2023 and all. So as long as no huge notorial fraud happens, why not? For those that prefer or need a “wet ink” notarization, some municipalities offer it to residents, as do some libraries, banks, credit unions, currency exchanges, etc.


  15. - snowman61 - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 1:18 pm:

    This is great and I hope the IT behind it is up to date. I just recently had the experience of doing a title and registration change on line due to the death of my spouse. I thought I did it right until I showed up at the Sec of State office. Did it all wrong, had the wrong amount owed and had to redo the paper work. The clerk, who by the way was great, said the system needs to be upgraded as she routinely has to redo the on line documents as on line. Did save me money as I originally had to owe $318 but instead only paid $169. Now, what would have happen if I mailed the forms in with payment as that was an option instead of going to the sec of State office? The state needs to invest in the IT as this is also what I heard when dealing with TRS and IMRF.


  16. - Give Us Barabbas - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 2:16 pm:

    I get my notarization done at the UPS store or kinko/fedex, it’s easy.


  17. - ??? - Wednesday, Apr 17, 24 @ 3:56 pm:

    I tried searching for a notary public using the link in the post, but it didn’t work. I think this is the link: https://apps.ilsos.gov/notarysearch/


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Sunday roundup: Rep. Williams says no takeover; 'Guardrail' bill floated; More alderpersons sign letter; Biz weighs in; CTU president claims city pays the bills for 'every municipality in this state'; Progressive Caucus supports letter
* News coverage roundup: Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign (Updated x2)
* Mayor to announce school board appointments on Monday
* Reader comments closed for the weekend
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Question of the day (Updated)
* Ahead of mass school board resignation, some mayoral opponents ask Pritzker to step in, but he says he has no legal authority (Updated x5)
* Governor’s office says Senate Republicans are “spreading falsehoods” with their calls for DCFS audit (Updated)
* Meanwhile… In Opposite Land
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign and court-related stuff
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller