NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 19, 2023 — NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and leading remote online notarization (RON) provider for real estate and legal transactions, announced today it will support remote online notarial acts in California beginning in 2024 following the passage of CA Senate Bill 696, which was signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom on September 30, 2023. Stage 1 of the bill takes effect on January 1, 2024, and allows the use of remote online notarization (RON) by notaries commissioned outside the state for transactions such as title and escrow transaction documents in connection with California real property.
“California embracing remote online notarization is an effort that has taken years and is a critical next step toward nationwide acceptance of RON and eNotary services,” said NotaryCam president Brian Webster. “While real estate isn’t the only industry that can benefit from RON, the passage of this bill is a boon for this sector of the economy, as California represented roughly 18% of all real estate transactions nationally in 2022. NotaryCam is looking forward to providing our services to California residents and eagerly anticipates the day when we can do the same for notaries commissioned in the state.”
Other provisions of the bill are slated to take effect in phases starting January 1, 2025, by which time RON technology providers must certify that they meet the specified requirements to perform RON transactions in the state. The final phase, which is expected to commence by January 1, 2030, authorizes the commissioning of California notaries to perform remote online notarial acts, following the completion of technology updates by the California Secretary of State office to allow for such actions. This bill puts California with 44 other states that have enacted laws providing permanent access to remote online notarization, according to the American Land Title Association (ALTA).
Updates and additional information on RON in California can be found on the California Notary Public website at https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary.