Notaries in Arkansas can now apply for a special commission to electronically notarize documents, according to an April 2 announcement by Secretary of State Mark Martin.
To become an electronic Notary, an applicant must already be an Arkansas Notary in good standing. Applicants must undergo a free e-Notarization training course offered by the Secretary of State’s office and pass an exam. Once the Notary has passed the exam, the Secretary of State’s office will issue a Certificate of Electronic Commission authorizing the Notary to perform e-Notarizations.
Upon receiving the certificate, the Notary must select an authorized electronic notarization system provided by a state-approved vendor listed on the Secretary of State’s website. The method for performing e-Notarizations may vary depending on the vendor’s system. Two approved providers are listed on the website, Doc Verify and World Wide Notary.
The Secretary of State’s office recommends that Notaries select a provider that best fits the type of documents they notarize, the security level needed for the transactions they work with, and the Notary’s budget. An Arkansas electronic commission is concurrent with a Notary’s paper commission and expires at the same time. To renew an e-commission, Arkansas Notaries must first renew their regular commission and then can apply to renew an e-commission.
For more information on e-Notarization, look for the upcoming June 2014 issue of The National Notary magazine.
David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association.