COVID-19 Business Update: Virtual notarizations in Connecticut

Last week, Governor Lamont signed an Executive Order authorizing remote notarizations subject to a handful of (straightforward) conditions. Permitting this made sense even before COVID-19. Here are the conditions:

a. The person seeking the notarial act (“Signatory”) from a Notary Public or Commissioner, if not personally known to the Notary Public or Commissioner, shall present satisfactory evidence of identity, as defined by subsection I 0 of section 3-94a of the General Statutes, while connected to the Communication Technology, not merely transmit it prior to or after the transaction;

b. The Communication Technology must be capable of recording the complete notarial act and such recording shall be made and retained by the Notary Public or Commissioner for a period of not less than ten (10) years;

c. The Signatory must affirmatively represent via the Communication Technology that he or she is physically situated in the State of Connecticut;

d. The Signatory must transmit by fax or electronic means a legible copy of the signed document directly to the Notary Public or Commissioner on the same date it was executed;

e. The Notary Public or Commissioner may notarize the transmitted copy of the document and transmit the same back to the Signatory by fax or electronic means;

f. The Notary Public or Commissioner may repeat the notarization of the original signed document as of the date of execution provided the Notary Public or Commissioner receives such original signed document, together with the electronically notarized copy, within thirty days after the date of execution;

g. Notwithstanding the foregoing, only an attorney admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut and in good standing may remotely administer a self-proving affidavit to a Last Will and Testament pursuant to section 45a-285 of the General Statues or conduct a real estate closing as required by Public Act 19-88

This content is provided as background and does not constitute legal advice. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact us at info@lalorattorneys.com / 646.818.9870.