3.8 Remote Online Notarization (RON)
Key Takeaways
- Montana authorized RON through House Bill 370, effective October 1, 2019
- The notary must be physically located in Montana; the signer may be anywhere in the world
- RON requires real-time, two-way audio AND video communication on an approved platform
- Identity is verified by credential analysis plus knowledge-based authentication (KBA)
- The notary must use an electronic seal and signature and retain an audiovisual recording
What RON Is
Montana authorized Remote Online Notarization (RON) through House Bill 370, effective October 1, 2019. RON lets a notary perform certain acts for a signer who is not physically present, using real-time, two-way audio-video technology, electronic documents, and an electronic signature. The signer's "personal appearance" is satisfied remotely rather than in the same room.
Four Technology-Based Models
| Type | Documents | Signer Location |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | Paper | In person |
| IPEN (In-Person Electronic) | Electronic | In person |
| Remote | Paper or electronic | Remote, by audio-video |
| RON | Electronic + e-signature | Remote, by audio-video |
The exam distinguishes IPEN (electronic documents but the signer is still physically present) from RON (electronic documents and the signer is remote).
Location Rules
| Party | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Notary | Must be physically located in Montana at the time of the act |
| Signer | May be anywhere in the world |
The notary's physical location anchors the act in Montana jurisdiction; the signer's location is unrestricted, which is the whole point of RON.
Technology Requirements
- Real-time, two-way audio and video — both parties must see and hear each other live.
- An approved technology platform meeting Secretary of State standards.
- A notary may use multiple approved platforms and cannot be forced to use any single specific one.
Identity Verification for RON
| Method | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Credential analysis | Software inspects a government ID for authenticity features |
| Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) | Signer answers personal questions pulled from data sources |
| Secondary verification | Additional checks where rules require |
The notary holds final authority to accept or reject identification in any RON transaction. If KBA fails or the credential looks altered, the notary must decline.
Electronic Seal and Signature
For RON, the notary uses an electronic seal (an exact image of their ink stamp) and an electronic signature (a reproduction of their handwritten signature). Both must be retained under the notary's sole control.
Extra Journal and Recording Duties
Beyond standard journal entries, RON adds requirements:
| Entry | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Communication technology used | Note that RON technology was used |
| Platform name | Identify the approved platform |
| Recording storage | Record where the audiovisual recording is kept |
The notary must retain the audiovisual recording of the session for the retention period set by the Secretary of State.
Acts Available via RON and Fees
- Acknowledgments and verifications on oath or affirmation (jurats)
- Other acts permitted by Secretary of State rules
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Standard notarial act | $10 maximum |
| RON service fee | Reasonable fee agreed in advance |
| Travel | Not applicable (remote) |
Check sosmt.gov for the current approved-platform list and contact the Secretary of State's notary unit for platforms not yet listed.
Common Traps
- Notary outside Montana. The notary must be in-state even though the signer can be anywhere.
- Audio-only or recorded video — RON demands live, two-way audio and video.
- Forgetting to retain the recording or to note the platform in the journal.
Worked Example: Closing a Deal Across Time Zones
A Montana notary at her Bozeman desk performs a RON acknowledgment for a signer logged in from Berlin. The platform first runs credential analysis on the signer's passport, then administers KBA — five personal questions the signer must mostly answer correctly within a time limit. With identity confirmed, both parties join the live two-way video session; the notary sees and hears the signer in real time, confirms willingness, applies her electronic seal and signature to the electronic document, and the platform records the session.
Afterward she journals the act, notes the platform name, and records where the audiovisual file is stored. Had the signer failed KBA, the notary — who holds final authority — would have stopped the transaction.
IPEN vs. RON: Don't Confuse Them
The exam loves this distinction. In IPEN (In-Person Electronic Notarization), the documents are electronic but the signer is physically in the room with the notary — no audio-video link is needed. In RON, the documents are electronic and the signer is remote, requiring the live audio-video session. The deciding factor is the signer's physical location, not the document format.
RON Compliance Checklist
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Notary location | Physically in Montana |
| Communication | Live, two-way audio AND video |
| Platform | Approved by the Secretary of State |
| Identity | Credential analysis + KBA |
| Tools | Electronic seal + electronic signature |
| Records | Journal entry + retained audiovisual recording |
Common Pitfalls
The biggest trap is the notary stepping outside Montana — attending a conference in Denver and trying to perform a RON act voids it, because the notary must be in-state. Another is treating a phone call or a pre-recorded video as sufficient; RON requires a live, simultaneous audio-video connection. A third is forgetting the recording-retention duty: failing to keep the audiovisual file is a documented compliance failure.
Exam Focus
- RON effective October 1, 2019 (HB 370).
- Notary in Montana, signer anywhere; live two-way audio-video required.
- Identity = credential analysis + KBA; the notary retains final authority over ID.
- IPEN = electronic docs, signer present; RON = electronic docs, signer remote.
- Use an electronic seal/signature and retain the recording.
For Remote Online Notarization in Montana, where must the notary be located?
Which identity verification methods are typically used for a Montana RON transaction?