Massachusetts and Delaware Become Latest States to Permit Remote Online Notarization

With the passage of new laws in Massachusetts and Delaware, all but five states, as well as the District of Columbia, now have permanent laws in place permitting remote online notarization (“RON”).

To facilitate the continued execution of documents requiring notarization during the COVID-19 pandemic, most states issued temporary orders allowing RON. Many of these states subsequently adopted permanent RON laws.

Five states, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina, have no permanent laws in place. Temporary orders authorizing the use of RON during the COVID-19 pandemic expired in Connecticut, Georgia, and Mississippi. California explicitly prohibits RON. South Carolina has been completely silent on the subject.

The Massachusetts law, which goes into effect on January 1, 2024, can be found at MA House Bill 58.

The Delaware law, which goes into effect on August 1, 2023, can be found at DE Senate Bill 262.