Nevada has become the latest state to announce that online webcam notarizations are unacceptable, according to a Customer Alert issued last week by Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller.
"Online webcam notarizations are not permitted in the State of Nevada," the Alert stipulates. "A person seeking a notarization is required to personally appear before a Notary Public and sign the document in the presence of the Notary."
The statement specifically notes that webcams and other electronic medium, such as Skype, do not meet the requirements of Nevada law regarding personal appearance.
Nevada joins a growing list of states to declare online notarizations invalid. In recent months, Secretaries of State in Rhode Island, Wisconsin and California issued similar alerts declaring online notarizations to be illegal. And in April, North Carolina Secretary of State published a newspaper article that described the importance of personal appearance in the notarial act.
The full text of the Nevada Customer Alert follows:
Online webcam notarizations are not permitted in the State of Nevada. A person seeking a notarization is required to personally appear before a Notary Public and sign the document in the presence of the Notary. Appearance via webcam or other electronic medium such as Skype does not meet Nevada's law governing personal appearance. Please be aware of any online notarization service being offered by a private company. If you have any questions, please contact the Notary Division at 775-684-5708.