COVID-19 and Notaries
How is the coronavirus currently affecting our notary practices?
Short answer: it depends on what state you live in. As appointed officials of the state, every notary has to adhere to the local state regulations currently in place. As of today, 90% of Americans are living under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order. JR Notary Services, LLC operates solely in Georgia and will adhere to all state orders.
Can You Still Notarize Documents During the Pandemic?
Yes, we can. We can still physically notarize while adhering to all CDC guidelines. Our main priority is to keep our clients safe and healthy. All notaries are required to keep nose & mouth coverings in place and gloves on while conducting sessions with clients. We will remain and conduct business outside of home dwellings. At this present time, we cannot accept cash. Due to several curfew ordinances being implemented in the South Fulton county area, we cannot schedule notary services after standard business hours.
Can You Notarize Remotely?
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, a number of states have issued emergency measures allowing Notaries to perform remote online notarizations during the crisis. With remote notarization, a signer personally appears before the Notary at the time of the notarization using audio-visual technology over the internet instead of being physically present in the same room. Currently, 23 states have passed remote notarization laws. Unfortunately, Georgia has not passed any legislation on remote notarization.