04/01/2020
With COVID-19 being at the forefront of everyone's conversations, the question of Remote Online Notarization ("RON") has come up with regard to settlement. Please be advised that Remote Online Notarization has not been adopted yet in New Jersey.
On March 19, 2020, the New Jersey Legislature passed Bill A-3864, which awaits signature by Governor Murphy and will allow remote notarization. However, once signed by the Governor, the bill does not take effect for 90 days.
Also, there is a second bill that was passed by the New Jersey Legislature on March 25, 2020, Bill A-3903, which is a temporary RON bill. A-3903 will allow remote notarial acts during the Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order 103 of 2020. However, Bill A-3903 has not been signed yet by the Governor either.
Until either Bill A-3864 or Bill A-3903 is signed by Governor Murphy and becomes effective, notaries in New Jersey have been instructed to perform “window-separated signings”. This means that the Notary and signor must be able to communicate with each other by sight and sound through the window and by normal means. Cell phones, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or any other electronic communication tools may not be used for a “window-separated signing.”
If you have any questions with regard to your upcoming purchase or refinance, please give me a call.
