SECURE Notarization Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill allows notaries to perform notarizations remotely using video technology for people who are not physically present. This means Americans could get documents notarized from home using a computer or phone, without needing to visit an office in person.
• To protect against fraud, the notary must verify the person's identity using at least two different methods and must record every remote session on audio and video. These recordings must be kept for at least 5 years (or 10 years if the state has no rule on retention).
• Every state and every federal court would be required to accept notarized documents from any other state, whether they were done in person or remotely. This eliminates a patchwork of rules that can cause delays for people doing business across state lines.
• The bill bans notaries who are not lawyers from using deceptive titles like "notario publico" or claiming they can give legal or immigration advice. This targets a well-known scam that preys on immigrant communities.
• Notaries are not forced to adopt remote or electronic methods. They can still choose to perform only traditional in-person notarizations on paper documents if they prefer.