I recently reached out to the Texas Secretary of State (SOS) to confirm an important question that had been raised by Jill Carlton, a Texas notary. Jill had purchased an e-seal through the NNA (National Notary Association) and wanted to add another platform that required the use of their own seal. Since I had some knowledge on the topic, I called the Texas SOS to confirm the information I already had.
During the conversation, I received the same response I had anticipated. The Texas Secretary of State’s website clearly outlines the requirements for becoming an online notary public in Texas. According to the website, to be commissioned as an online notary public, notaries must currently be commissioned as a notary in Texas. They are also required to obtain a verifiable X.509 compliant digital certificate, which includes their electronic signature, and provide a copy of their electronic seal in an acceptable file format (JPEG, BMP, PNG, or TIF).
Based on my prior knowledge and the information provided by the Texas SOS, it has been confirmed that when using multiple platforms for remote online notarization (RON), notaries in Texas must choose one specific e-seal to be uploaded and registered with the Texas SOS. This registered e-seal should be used consistently across all platforms for RON sessions. It is not permissible to use different e-seals from different platforms.
Unfortunately, it appears that many notaries may not be in compliance with these regulations. As notaries adopt multiple platforms for RON, they often end up using different e-seals provided by each platform. However, it is crucial to understand that the Texas SOS requires notaries to choose only one e-seal and register it with the state. This registered e-seal must be used consistently on all platforms for RON sessions.
In conclusion, for notaries in Texas who are utilizing multiple platforms for RON, it is essential to adhere to the state’s requirement of choosing one specific e-seal and registering it with the Texas SOS. This registered e-seal should be used consistently across all platforms for RON sessions. Compliance with Texas regulations and guidelines regarding e-seals and RON is crucial for notaries to fulfill their duties properly. It is important for notaries to be aware of the requirement and take steps to ensure they are in compliance by using a single registered e-seal for all RON sessions.
To get assistance becoming a RON in Texas please reach out to Greg Lirette at Notary Geek.
You can create a free E-seal here https://notary.pandadoc.com/digital-notary-stamp
