First and foremost, I have to apologize for the clickbait title. I felt it was appropriate given how one state managed to shift the national notarization playing field. Now back on topic.
In 2012, Virginia became the first of now 5 states to allow commissioned e-notaries to perform remote notarizations via webcam. For Virginia, this isn’t just a local deal, the state legislature specifically put in language allowing their notaries to work at a national level. According to one Virginia based e-notary company, notarize.com, the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution provides a basis for states to accept out of state notarizations. In addition, they have compiled laws from every state, linked here and seen below, that support the remote notary movement we see taking place.
This topic has even become something that industry leaders are pushing for. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Quicken Loans have even endorsed remote notarization back in the summer of 2016. With so many players in favor of utilizing remote video for notarization purposes, we can see why the notary landscape is dynamically changing.
Has this trend reached your city yet?