8.2 Becoming an Electronic Notary

The Prerequisite: A Current Paper Commission

Electronic authorization is never a standalone credential. Before you can register, you must already hold a valid North Carolina notary public commission in good standing, meaning no pending disciplinary action and no lapse. If your underlying commission expires or is revoked, your electronic and RON authorizations terminate with it. This is a frequent exam trap: candidates are asked for the "first step" and choose "buy software" or "take the course," when the true first step is holding the commission itself.

Step-by-Step Path to Electronic Notary

The three-hour eNotarization course is offered through approved community colleges (for example, through the North Carolina Community College System), distinct from the six-hour course required for an initial paper commission. You must pass the associated exam with at least 80%, the same passing threshold used across NC notary education.

The Registration Filing

After passing, you file the Electronic Notary Registration with the NC Secretary of State, Notary Public Section. The $50 registration fee is non-refundable and is charged in addition to your underlying commission fee under G.S. 10B-13. Your registration identifies the technology provider(s) you will use and confirms your electronic seal meets statutory format. Until the Secretary of State approves and records your registration, you may not perform a single electronic act.

Choosing Technology

Electronic notarization requires a vendor solution that supplies a compliant electronic signature, an electronic seal image, and tamper-evident technology that locks the document after notarization. The exam expects you to know that the notary, not the vendor, remains legally responsible for proper procedure even when the platform automates steps. The technology you adopt must be under your sole control — North Carolina law treats your electronic signature and electronic seal like the key to a safe.

You may not lend your credentials to an employer, a title company, or a closing assistant, and you may not let anyone else perform an act under your registration. If a third party gains control of your electronic signature or seal, you must notify the Secretary of State, because every act performed with those tools is legally attributed to you.

Adopting a licensed RON platform also means agreeing to its identity-proofing workflow, its recording and storage practices, and the $5 per-act surcharge it collects on the state's behalf. The exam may test that the surcharge is a platform/state matter that exists behind your $25 fee cap, not an extra charge you tack onto the signer separately.

A Worked Registration Scenario

Consider Maria, a paper notary whose commission is valid through 2028. She wants to close mortgages electronically. Her correct order of operations is: (1) confirm her paper commission is active and in good standing; (2) enroll in the three-hour eNotarization course at an approved community college; (3) pass the exam at 80% or higher; (4) file the Electronic Notary Registration with the Secretary of State and pay the $50 non-refundable fee; (5) select an approved technology provider for her signature, seal, and tamper-evident software. Only after the Secretary of State records her registration may she perform an in-person electronic act.

If she also wants remote closings, she must additionally adopt a state-licensed RON platform. Skipping any step — for example, buying software before registering — does not authorize her to notarize electronically.

Maintaining and Renewing

Your electronic authorization is tied to your underlying commission term. When you renew your paper commission, you must keep your electronic registration current as well; an expired paper commission voids both digital authorizations until the commission is reinstated. The $50 fee applies to re-registration just as it does to initial registration. Notaries should also keep their listed technology provider information accurate with the Secretary of State, updating it if they switch vendors.

Adding RON Authorization

RON is an additional layer beyond basic electronic registration:

A notary who is registered for electronic notarization but has not adopted a licensed RON platform may perform in-person electronic acts but not remote ones.

Exam Focus

• First requirement: an active paper commission — not the course or the software.
• Course is three hours; passing score is 80%.
• Registration fee is $50, non-refundable, paid to the Secretary of State.
• RON adds a licensed-platform requirement on top of basic electronic registration.
• The notary, not the vendor, bears legal responsibility for compliance.