16.2 SB 696 — California Online Notarization Act

What RON Is

Remote online notarization (RON) lets a notary complete a notarization over a live two-way audio-video connection — the signer appears by webcam instead of in person. Identity is proven digitally rather than by handing over a paper ID across a desk.

SB 696 and Its Staged Timeline

Senate Bill (SB) 696, the California Online Notarization Act, was authored by Senator Portantino, signed by Governor Newsom on September 30, 2023, and took effect January 1, 2024 — but most of its substance is deferred.

The 2030 date is a deadline, not a guarantee. SB 696 directs the Secretary of State to build the technology infrastructure; RON becomes operative when that project is finished or by January 1, 2030, whichever is earlier. If the project will not be ready, the Secretary of State must notify the Legislature and Governor on or before January 1, 2029.

Why This Matters Right Now

Exam trap: The single most tested fact is that California notaries cannot perform RON yet. Reject any answer claiming RON is currently available to California commissions.

The Recognition Stage in Practice

A deed validly RON-notarized by a Florida notary can be recorded in a California county and accepted in California courts. Before SB 696, some counties rejected out-of-state RON documents over format and authentication concerns. Recognition removed that friction — and it is exactly the gap AB 2004 (Chapter 16.1) closes on the paper-recording side.

Requirements Once RON Goes Live

When RON becomes operative, a California online notary must meet heightened standards:

• Education: the standard 6-hour course (new applicants) or 3-hour course (renewals), PLUS an additional 2-hour RON-specific course covering platform operation, electronic identity proofing, electronic journaling, audio-video recording, and fraud prevention.
• Bond: a $25,000 surety bond, compared with the $15,000 bond required for traditional notarization — a difference of $10,000.
• Fee: a maximum of $30 per online notarial act, versus the $15 maximum for a traditional acknowledgment or jurat.
• Recording: the platform must keep a recording of the audio-video communication of each RON act, and the notary must preserve online journal data for 10 years.
• Identity proofing: signers are verified through credential analysis of the ID plus knowledge-based authentication (dynamic identity-quiz questions).

Worked Scenario

It is 2031 and you are a commissioned California online notary. A client in another county joins by video. Your approved platform runs credential analysis on her driver's license and a KBA quiz; she passes. You complete an electronic acknowledgment, the platform records the full session, and you log the act in your electronic journal. You charge $30 — the RON maximum. Your $25,000 bond and completed 2-hour RON course are what authorized you to do this.

Common Traps and Misconceptions

• "RON is here because SB 696 is law." The statute is in effect, but the operative RON provisions are deferred. Being commissioned today does not authorize you to notarize a signer who appears only by webcam.
• "Out-of-state RON still gets rejected in California." Not since January 1, 2024 — recognition is the live stage, and counties must accept validly performed out-of-state RON acts.
• "I can charge $30 for an in-person act because RON exists now." No. The $30 maximum applies only to RON acts once they are operative; traditional in-person acknowledgments and jurats stay capped at $15.
• "My regular bond covers RON." No — RON requires the higher $25,000 bond and the extra 2-hour course.
• "A selfie or video alone proves identity." RON identity proofing requires credential analysis of the ID document plus knowledge-based authentication, not just a live face on camera.

How to Lock In the Numbers

Memorize the deltas, not just the absolutes. RON doubles the fee ($15 to $30), adds $10,000 to the bond ($15,000 to $25,000), adds 2 hours of education on top of the 3-hour renewal or 6-hour new course, and retains records for 10 years. If a distractor uses 5 or 7 years, a $20,000 or $50,000 bond, or a $25 fee, it is wrong. The phased dates — 2024 recognition, 2025 platform jurisdiction, 2030 full RON — are the other reliable test anchors.

On the Exam

• California notaries cannot perform RON yet (operative by 2030).
• Out-of-state RON has been recognized since January 1, 2024.
• RON bond $25,000; education +2 hours; max fee $30; recordings/journal kept 10 years.
• Identity proofing = credential analysis + knowledge-based authentication.
• Secretary of State must warn by January 1, 2029 if the technology project will miss the 2030 target.