A notary public using communication technology to perform an electronic notarization reviews a document on screen and then receives an electronically signed version for completion of the notarial act. What must the notary ensure before proceeding?
The notary must ensure the record presented matches the electronically signed document.
In this scenario, that is the required verification before completing the notarial act.
Notaries must confirm the signed record matches the document presented, not continuously observe the signing.
The notary must ensure the presented record matches the electronically signed record, regardless of the software platform.
Explanation
Whenever a notarization involves an electronic signature, the notary must confirm that the record presented for notarization is the same record that was electronically signed.
Memory Aid
Same-sign rule: if it was e-signed, verify the exact same record is the one being notarized.