Is remote online notarization the same as eNotary?

RON is not the same as eNotary and it’s important to understand and use the terminology appropriately in order to distinguish a difference between the two solutions. There are two main differences, the first being that some states who have approved eNotary, have not yet adopted RON so how a transaction is conducted matters in terms of compliance for each type of notarization. And, secondly, there is a difference in how the signers’ identification validation process is conducted.

Remote online notarization (RON):

• Parties are not in the same room as a RON session occurs via a recorded audio-video conference.
• The audio-video conference includes the notary, the borrower and a witness and/or another party the transaction may require.
• Rules around ID validation vary by state and include specific measures that ensure validation is done properly.
• In most cases, the borrowers’ ID is validated through a knowledge-based authentication (KBA) method in addition to presenting a valid state driver license or state identification card to the notary public through the technology. 

eNotary:

• A notary public and the borrower are in the same room (signing in-person) so the borrower’s ID can be validated in person and per state’s guidelines.
• The signature is realized electronically and the notary stamp is done digitally rather than with a physical stamp on a hard-copy of the document.