9.4 Technology Providers and Platform Requirements
Key Takeaways
- RON must be performed only through a Secretary of State-approved technology provider.
- The provider's application and renewal fee with the Secretary of State is $250 each.
- Approved platforms must deliver credential analysis, KBA, two-way video, tamper-evident recording, and secure storage.
- The Secretary of State publishes a public list of approved Remote Notarization Providers.
- The notary, not just the provider, must confirm approval before contracting and use the platform correctly.
Why Providers Must Be Approved
Colorado does not let a notary cobble together a generic video-chat app, a separate ID scanner, and a cloud drive. The state vets each Remote Notarization Provider to guarantee the platform can verify identity, capture a tamper-evident recording, and store it securely for ten years. Using an unapproved platform is a violation that can expose the notary to discipline even if the underlying signing was honest.
Provider Approval Process
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application | Provider applies to the Secretary of State |
| Fee | $250 application; $250 renewal |
| Review | SOS evaluates technical and security compliance |
| Outcome | Listed on the public approved-provider list |
Note the fee asymmetry the exam likes: the notary pays $10 to register, while the provider pays $250 to be approved. Do not swap these numbers.
Capabilities a Provider Must Demonstrate
| Capability | Why it is required |
|---|---|
| Real-time two-way video | The core appearance requirement |
| Credential analysis | Authenticate a government ID |
| Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) | Second identity factor for strangers |
| Audio-video recording | Capture the full session |
| Tamper-evident sealing | Detect any post-signing alteration |
| Secure 10-year storage | Retention and retrieval on request |
| Encryption in transit and at rest | Protect signer data |
Finding and Verifying an Approved Provider
| Resource | Location |
|---|---|
| Secretary of State website | coloradosos.gov, Notary section |
| Approved provider list | Published and updated by the SOS |
| Approved remote notary list | Public roster of registered remote notaries |
Verification is the notary's job. Before signing any contract, open the SOS approved-provider list and confirm the platform's name appears. A slick demo or a low price is irrelevant if the provider is not on the list.
Choosing Among Approved Providers
All approved providers meet the legal minimum, so notaries compare on practical features and cost:
| Feature / cost | What to weigh |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly subscription vs. per-transaction fees vs. annual contract |
| Setup / onboarding fees | One-time costs and training time |
| Signer experience | Mobile support, simple interface (reduces failed sessions) |
| Document tools | Upload, tagging, and certificate placement |
| Support | Live help during a session that stalls |
| Storage handling | Whether the provider retains recordings on the notary's behalf |
Worked example. A notary expecting only two or three signings a month should favor a per-transaction provider; a title agent doing dozens of closings weekly will save money on a flat subscription. Both must still be on the approved list — cost optimization never overrides the approval requirement.
Who Is Responsible for What
| Responsibility | Provider | Notary |
|---|---|---|
| Platform security and encryption | Yes | No |
| Tamper-evident recording capability | Yes | Use correctly |
| Long-term recording storage | Often the provider | Ensure it happens |
| Verifying the provider is approved | — | Yes |
| Performing the notarial act and journal | No | Yes |
| Overall legal compliance | Shared | Yes |
The key exam point: even though the provider supplies the technology, the notary remains personally responsible for the lawfulness of each act, for verifying approval, and for ensuring the recording and journal exist and are retained.
Changing Providers
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Choose a new provider from the approved list |
| 2 | Complete onboarding and link it to your RON registration |
| 3 | Preserve access to recordings/journal held by the old provider for the full 10 years |
| 4 | Note the provider change in the electronic journal going forward |
| 5 | Cancel the old service only after confirming records remain retrievable |
The biggest risk in switching is losing access to old recordings before the retention period ends. Do not cancel the prior contract until you have confirmed continued access.
Security and Storage Standards
Approved platforms must protect data both in transit (during the live session) and at rest (in storage), using encryption, access controls, and audit trails. Storage must be tamper-evident, so any alteration of a stored recording or notarized record is detectable, and redundant, so a single hardware failure does not destroy the only copy of a recording that must survive ten years.
| Storage requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Encryption | Recordings and documents are unreadable to outsiders |
| Tamper-evidence | Any edit to a stored record is flagged |
| Redundancy / backup | Multiple copies guard against data loss |
| Retrievability | Records can be produced on lawful request for 10 years |
Common Traps in This Section
- Mixing up the $10 notary RON fee with the $250 provider fee.
- Believing the provider's storage relieves the notary of responsibility — compliance is shared, and the notary must ensure records exist and persist.
- Cancelling an old provider before confirming access to its recordings — this can orphan records mid-retention.
- Assuming any encrypted video tool is acceptable — only platforms on the SOS approved list qualify.
Security Duties of the Notary
- Use strong, unique credentials and never share the login.
- Log out at the end of each session.
- Report suspected breaches to the provider immediately.
- Keep sole control of the electronic signature and seal — they are personal to the notary, like the physical stamp.
On the Exam
- RON must run on a Secretary of State-approved provider.
- Provider fee: $250 to apply and $250 to renew (notary fee is $10 — don't confuse them).
- The SOS publishes a public approved-provider list; verify before contracting.
- Required platform features: two-way video, credential analysis, KBA, recording, tamper-evidence, secure storage.
- The notary stays responsible for compliance, verification, and retention.
What is the application fee for a Remote Notarization Provider to be approved by the Colorado Secretary of State?
Before contracting with a RON technology provider, what is the notary's primary duty?
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