Last updated November 16, 2023
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Online Notary in Illinois
Online Notary, also known as remote online notarization (RON), is a virtual service that allows you to notarize your legal documents in Illinois and anywhere else in the United States.
Notarizing your documents adds validity to your legal documents. LawDepot’s Online Notary service is convenient, secure, and affordable. Simply use your web device’s camera and microphone to connect with a notary public.
Online notarization is also known as:
- E-Notary
- Digital notarization
- Virtual notarization
Is Online Notary legal in Illinois?
Yes, it is legal in Illinois to use an Online Notary to get your documents notarized.
Online Notary in Illinois is legal due to two types of legislation:
- The Full Faith and Credit Clause: All US states must respect notarizations completed in every other state. So, for instance, if an Illinois resident gets their document notarized by a notary public in a different state, the notarization is considered valid under Illinois law.
- Senate Bill 2664: This bill took effect on January 1, 2022. Among other changes, Senate Bill 2664 made online notarization permanent in Illinois. Additionally, this bill says that Illinois notaries will also be allowed to use their services on electronic documents. Illinois notaries will be able to start performing electronic notarizations in January 2024.
"Remote notarial acts" versus "electronic notarial acts" in Illinois
Illinois legislation clearly distinguishes between Remote Notarial Acts and Electronic Notarial Acts. Let’s break it down:
- Remote notarial acts refer to the signing of paper documents while the notary, signer, and any witnesses communicate in real-time using audio-visual platforms.
- Electronic notarial acts refer to electronic documents that are signed and notarized online or in person.
What are Illinois's online notarization laws?
As mentioned above, Illinois also passed Senate Bill 2664 which allows Illinois notaries to conduct online notarizations on electronic documents as of 2024.
In addition to taking a training course, passing an exam, and meeting the technical requirements set out by the Secretary of State, notaries who want to notarize documents online must abide by the following laws and rules:
- Notaries must be able to identify the signer. This can be done through personal knowledge, identification by a credible witness who is personally known to the notary and the signer, or using an unexpired government identification document that includes a photograph and a signature. Using an ID also requires credential analysis of the ID and knowledge-based authentication of the signer.
- The notarization must be recorded. The notary must keep the recording for seven years.
What documents can be notarized online in Illinois?
Documents that Illinois residents can notarize include:
- Loan Agreements and Promissory Notes
- Child Travel Consents and Child Medical Consents
- Powers of Attorney
- Property deeds
- Bills of Sales
- Mortgages
- Affidavits
- And many more
With LawDepot’s Online Notary, our notary publics can provide you with the following notarial services:
- An acknowledgement is when you declare to the notary your willingness to sign a document.
- A jurat is when you swear or affirm in front of the notary that the contents of a document are truthful.
How much does online notarization cost in Illinois?
LawDepot’s Online Notary costs $25 for the first deal and $10 for each additional seal.
Our pricing aligns with the permitted pricing in Illinois. The Secretary of State allows notaries in Illinois to charge up to $25 per electronic notarization.
What documents cannot be notarized online in Illinois?
You cannot notarize the following documents in Illinois with LawDepot’s Online Notary:
- Last Wills and Testament
- Pour-Over Will
- Separation Agreement
- Cohabitation Agreement
- Prenuptial Agreement
- USPS Form 1583
- Documents for use outside the U.S.
- True copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Court-issued documents
- Certificates of Naturalization
- Certificates of Citizenship
- Declarations of Intention to Become a Citizen