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ELECTRONIC NOTARIZATION
ELECTRONIC NOTARIZATION PROGRAM
The Eight Steps to Becoming an Electronic Notary in Pennsylvania
Step 1: The duly appointed and commissioned notary public in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who holds a current and unrestricted commission completes the Electronic Notary Public Application and submits it to the Department of State’s Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation. The electronic notary application form is available from BCEL upon request or on the Department’s website at http://www.dos.state.pa.us/notaries (Link to Electronic Notarization).
Step 2: The Department of State processes the electronic notary application and either approves or rejects the application in writing. If approved to act as an electronic notary, the applicant will be notified by mail with an Electronic Notary Approval Letter from the Department of State, sent to the business office of record of the notary public. The Department will also send an approval e-mail to the e-mail address provided by the approved electronic notary on the electronic notary application. The approval letter will authorize the notary to participate in the Department’s Electronic Notarization Program for not longer than the end of the notary’s current four-year commission as a notary public or for a lesser period of time, depending on the electronic notarization solution chosen by the notary. The notary has 45 days from the date of the Approval Letter to complete the process for obtaining an electronic notary solution or the approval becomes null and void.
Step 3: The approved electronic notary appears in-person before a participating county Recorder of Deeds and presents the Electronic Notary Approval Letter and satisfactory evidence of identity to the Recorder. Satisfactory evidence of identity consists of a current state or federal government-issued photo identification document. The Recorder of Deeds enters the identification information for the notary into the shared Electronic Notarization Program database. The list of participating Recorders of Deeds may be found at http://www.dos.state.pa.us/notaries (Link to Electronic Notarization).
Step 4: The approved electronic notary is notified via e-mail to log onto the Department of State’s website to select an approved electronic notary solution provider. The approved electronic notary may select more than one approved electronic notary solution provider at this time. To log onto the Department’s website, go to: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/notaries (choose the link to Notary Searchable Database & eServices and then click on “Search ENotaries” under “Services for ENotaries”). NOTE: You must have a valid PAPowerPort login account to complete this step. If you do not have an account, you may register for one through the Notary Searchable Database & eServices webpage.Step 5: The Department of State provides information to the selected electronic notarization solution provider(s) that the Pennsylvania notary is authorized to receive an electronic notary solution.
Step 6: The electronic notary and the selected electronic notary solution provider together directly to pay for and obtain an electronic notary solution. Information for the approved electronic notary solution providers may http://www.dos.state.pa.us/notaries (Link to Electronic Notarization).
Step 7: Once an electronic notary solution has been issued by the approved electronic notary solution provider to the notary, notification will be made to the Department of State and the electronic notary’s record will be updated showing that an electronic notary solution has been issued to that notary.
Step 8: The approved electronic notary may now use his/her electronic notary solution until the end of the notary’s current four-year commission as a notary public or for a lesser period of time as necessitated by the particular electronic notary solution, whichever is shorter.
IMPORTANT NOTICE In order to obtain approval from the Department of State to electronically notarize, you must first be a duly appointed and commissioned notary public in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, holding a current and unrestricted commission. DO NOT apply for approval to electronically notarize if you fail to meet this requirement. Please contact the Department of State or visit our website at http://www.dos.state.pa.us/notaries for information on how to become a notary public in Pennsylvania.
General Instructions
- Use your name and business address as they appear on the notary public
commission records of the Department of State.
- Use your notary commission ID number as it appears on your notary
commission issued by the Department of State.
- Applications will be accepted only on the form approved for use by
the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- All answers are subject to investigation and false statements will
be deemed as adequate grounds for rejection. Please be advised that
a felony conviction or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a commission
revocation in the Commonwealth or any other state within the last five
years prior to application will result in application rejection.
- Filing Fee: NONE.
- All correspondence, notices and reminders from the Department of State
concerning your electronic notary public application and approval will
be mailed to the business address as it appears on your notary public
commission and/or the e-mail address provided on this application.
- Upon approval as an electronic notary, the Department of State will
notify the applicant by mail and e-mail with an Electronic Notary Approval
Letter. The applicant must complete the process for obtaining an electronic
notary solution within 45 days of the date the Electronic Notary Approval
Letter is issued or the approval becomes null and void. Extensions will
not be given.
- The Secretary may, for good cause, reject any notary public application subject to the right of appeal.
List of Participating County Recorders of Deeds for Electronic Notarization
Allegheny County
Department of Real Estate (Identity Verification Site)
Valerie McDonald Roberts, Manager
County Office Building 542 Forbes Avenue, Room 101
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/RE/
Telephone inquiries: 412.350.4226
Email inquiries: DeptRealEstate@alleghenycounty.usBerks County Recorder of Deeds
Frederick C. Sheeler, Recorder of Deeds
Berks County Services Center
633 Court Street, 3rd Floor
Reading, PA 19601
http://www.co.berks.pa.us/recorder/
Telephone inquiries: 610.478.3380
Email inquiries: recorder@countyofberks.comBlair County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Mary Ann Bennis, Recorder of Deeds
Blair County Courthouse
423 Allegheny Street, Suite 145
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
http://www.blaircountyrecorder.com
Telephone inquiries: 814.693.3095
E-mail inquiries: registerrecorder@blairco.orgBucks County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Recorder of Deeds Administration
Building 55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901 http://www.buckscounty.org/government/rowOfficers/RecorderofDeeds/index.aspx
Telephone inquiries: 215.348.6209
Email inquiries: rwdickson@co.bucks.pa.usCentre County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Joseph L. Davidson, Recorder of Deeds
Willowbank County Office Building
414 Holmes Street
Bellefonte, PA 16823-1488
http://www.co.centre.pa.us/133.asp
Telephone inquiries: 814.355.6801
E-mail inquiries: rodinfo@co.centre.pa.usChester County Recorder of Deeds Office
Ryan A. Costello, Recorder of Deeds
121 North Walnut Street, Suite 100
West Chester, PA 19380-0991
http://www.chesco.org/recorder
Telephone inquiries: 610.344.6331
Email inquiries: RodInfo@chesco.orgForest County Recorder of Deeds Office
Dawn M. Millin 526 Elm Street, #2
Tionesta, PA 16353
http://www.co.forest.pa.us/recorder
Telephone inquiries: 814-755-3526
E-mail inquiries: dmillin@co.forest.pa.usLackawanna County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Evie Rafalko-McNulty, Recorder of Deeds
507 Linden Street Suite 800
Scranton, PA 18503
http://www.lackawannacounty.org
Telephone inquiries: 570.963.6775
Email inquiries: mcnultye@lackawannacounty.orgLancaster County Recorder of Deeds Office
Bonnie L. Bowman, Recorder of Deeds
Lancaster County Courthouse
50 North Duke Street, Second Floor
Lancaster, PA 17602
http://www.lancasterdeeds.com
Telephone inquiries: 717.299.8238
Email inquiries: mcdonald@co.lancaster.pa.usLebanon County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Donna J. Lutz, Recorder of Deeds
Municipal Building 400 South 8th Street, Room 107
Lebanon, PA 17042
http://dsf.pacounties.org/lebanon/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=444286
Telephone inquiries: 717.274.2801
Email inquiries: dlutz@lebcnty.orgLehigh County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Andrea E. Naugle, Recorder of Deeds
17 South 7th Street, Room 350
Allentown, PA 18101
http://www.lehighcounty.org (links to Elected Officials and to Recorder of Deeds)
Telephone inquiries: 610.782.3162 or 610-782-3167
Email inquiries: andreanaugle@lehighcounty.orgLuzerne County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
James O’Brien, Recorder of Deeds
Luzerne County Courthouse
200 North River Street
Wilkes Barre, PA 18711
http://www.luzernecounty.org (links to Row Offices and to Recorder of Deeds)
Telephone inquiries: 570.825.1641
Email inquiries: james.obrien@luzernecounty.orgMontgomery County Recorder of Deeds Office
Nancy J. Becker, Recorder of Deeds
One Montgomery Plaza Swede and Airy Streets
Suite 303 P.O. Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404
http://rod.montcopa.org/rod/
Telephone inquiries: 610.278.3289
Email inquiries: mcrod@montcopa.orgNorthampton County Recorder of Deeds Office (Identity Verification Site)
Ann L. Achatz, Recorder of Deeds
Northampton County Government Center
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042-7486
http://www.northamptoncounty.org
Telephone inquiries: 610.559.3077
Email inquiries: AAchatz@northamptoncounty.orgPhiladelphia County Recorder of Deeds Office
Joan T. Decker, Commissioner
Department of Records City Hall, Room 156
Philadelphia, PA 19107 http://www.phila.gov/records/DocumentRecording/DocumentRecording.html
Telephone inquiries: 215.686.2261 and 215.686.2262
Email inquiries: joan.decker@phila.gov
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