Are Georgia notaries allowed to use remote online notarization or electronic notarization?

• A. Yes, under applicable Georgia law and proper procedures.
• B. No, not allowed.
• C. Only for out-of-state documents.
• D. Only if the signer is an attorney.

Answer: (A)

Georgia notaries can perform electronic notarizations and remote online notarizations as long as they follow the applicable statutes and procedures. This means using an approved electronic system with a valid electronic signature and seal, keeping proper electronic records, and completing the required identity verification and journal-keeping steps. For remote online notarization, real-time audio-visual communication is used to identify the signer, confirm they understand the document, and witness the signature, with the session and documents securely recorded and stored. As long as these rules are followed, electronic and remote notarizations are allowed. The other ideas—that you can’t notarize electronically, or that it’s limited to out-of-state documents or to attorneys—aren’t correct.