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PRESTIGE LIVESCAN

Florida Remote Online Notarization FAQs

What you need to know about ID Verification

With remote notarization, if the person is not personally known to the notary, the notary must have each signer go through the ID verification as required by the respective state laws.

What do the states require?

State laws usually require that a third party that specializes in ID verification or KBA to be able to generate at least 5 questions that only that signer knows the answers to, and the signer must answer 4 or more questions correctly within 2 minutes.  The signer can be given a second chance to answer questions again; however, if they fail it a second time the notary is not allowed to continue or perform the remote notarization either for a specific time period or permanently.  

What is required of the signer?

Again, by law if the signer cannot or does not pass the ID verification, the notary cannot continue with the remote notarization.  Doing so may make the notary liable or negligent if issues were to arise with the notarization in the future, and it is best practices to be safe than sorry later.

How do I know if the signer is eligible for remote?

The notary must vet each signer, and if the signers do not have the following below, they will not be able to pass the ID verification as the third party providers usually only have data on U.S. citizens only.
A U.S. Citizen
A Valid Social Security Number – Even though our system needs the last 4 digits, if the signer doesn’t have a SSN number, more likely than not they won’t be in any of the credit bureau databases
A Valid U.S. Driver’s License – This is also a requirement in order for the third party to be able to find questions only the signer knows

Note: Passports cannot be verified and do not meet the state requirements

Credit History – Technically, if they don’t have credit history in the U.S., they’re not going to pass the ID verification
Make sure their credit reports aren’t locked. Because of the compromises in recent years it may be locked, and if that is the case they will fail.
A Valid US Mobile Number – VOIP, Google Voice, Cable provided lines, etc. are not accepted, and it MUST be an actual mobile number from a mobile provider

IMPORTANT: It is very important to understand that even if all of the above is true, it still does not absolutely guarantee a signer or participant will pass no matter how many times they try.  Notaries MUST have contingency plans in place in case that occurs.

What if my signer isn’t a U.S. citizen or doesn’t have a social security number?

More likely than not the signer will NOT pass the legally required ID Verification required by state laws as outlined in various sections of the online help.  Please look at the part directly above regarding eligibility.

What is the most important thing the notary should be aware of?

Not everyone will pass ID verification no matter if they qualify or how many times they try.  

Is Prestige Livescan generating the questions?

No. Prestige Livescan is not an ID Verification company, but we are partnered with a company that is.  The questions a signer receives comes from one of these providers, and Prestige Livescan has zero control of the questions as we do not know anything about the signer.  All we know is if the signer answered 4 of the 5 correctly within the allowable 2 minutes as required by law as the ID provider gives us the pass or fail only in order to protect the signer’s privacy and data.  If a signer usually fails twice within a one hour period they are very unlikely to pass.

Do all signers have to pass?

 

Yes. All signers must pass ID verification in order for the notarial act to continue.  If there are multiple signers in a transaction, and one fails that notarial act or transaction cannot continue according to state laws.

 

Are passports acceptable?

 

No. Passports cannot be verified and do not meet the state requirements.

 

How many tries does a signer get?

 

Each signer only gets two tries per 24 to 48 hours for ID verification.  If the person fails it twice they will have to wait or if the person successfully does it twice they will still have to wait 24 to 48 hours to try again. The third party KBA providers have done this by design to prevent a person from trying over and over again until they get it right.  Usually if they can’t pass it with two attempts they are unlikely to pass it at all beyond that point.

 

Who are the ID Verification providers?

 

There are only a few actual third party ID verification providers that providers like Prestige Livescan may use to help assist in the process that meet specific state laws.  They are usually Lexis Nexis, Veratad, IDology, Trulioo, etc., as Prestige Livescan is not an ID verification company.

 

Requirements

 

In order to use the remote notary platform the following is required of the notary and the participants.  If the requirements cannot be met, then the remote notarial act cannot be done.

Browser MUST be one of the following.  It will not work with any other browser when using on Windows, Mac, or Android.

Windows or Android – Google Chrome
Windows – Firefox
Mac, IPhone, or IPad – Latest Safari

IF using either an IPad or IPhone it MUST be IOS version 11 or higher with Safari version 11 or higher.  It will not work on any other IOS versions.
A camera and microphone on the device that accessible is also by the browser.
Permission for the browser to access the camera and microphone.
Each signer MUST have their own device.
Notary must also vet the signers beforehand to make sure they can pass the ID verification if not personally know to them. This section has more info What you need to know about ID Verification
High speed Internet access is a must for everyone, and anything but a high speed uninterrupted connection could have adverse effects on both the ID verification and web cam

IMPORTANT: Even if the device may be compatible if the internet connection isn’t fast enough or high speed it will not work properly. Additionally, we do NOT recommend using a smartphone even though it will work with it.

 

How do I vet a remote signer?

 

Because remote notary laws are strict in regards to ID verification, and because of the web cam requirements it is the responsibility of the notary to vet each signer to make sure that they will be able to pass the ID Verification requirements, and that they have the proper bandwidth speeds as well as hardware to be able to be on a web can session.

The following below is a quick list to go through before a new transaction is started, and if any of the following is not met we highly recommend not initiating or creating a remote notary transaction.

1 – ID Verification (if not personally known)

        Is the signer a U.S. Citizen?
Does the signer have a Valid Social Security Number?
Does the signer have a Valid U.S. Driver’s License?
Does the signer have a Credit History in the U.S?

If any of the above is false, then it is highly unlikely the signer will pass the the ID Verification requirement.

2 – Device Requirements

Does the signer have the correct device, laptop, tablet, etc., to be able to get on a webcam session.  If they don’t have one of the following systems and/or browsers below, they will most likely not be able to get on a web cam session.

Windows or Mac

        Google Chrome – Version 30 or higher
FireFox – Version 24 or higher

Android (smartphones and tablets)

Google Chrome – latest version

IOS (IPhone or IPad)

IOS 11 or Higher only, and the Safari browser that comes with IOS 11 or higher

How it works

Not to be confused with e-notarizations, some states allow their commissioned notaries to perform e-notarizations through a remote web cam session.  The following steps describes the remote notary process from the point of view of the notary, and what to expect when the notary uploads their own notarial transactions.

The notary receives the documents from the participants, and uploads them to the secured notary portal.
The state may require ID verification if the participant is not legally known to the notary.  If ID verification is done, you will need to know each of the participant’s email addresses, and they MUST be unique as sharing email addresses among spouses for example is not permitted.
Once the document is uploaded, each participant is notified if the are required to go through the ID verification process. Upon completion of the ID verification process, each participant can also enter to create their e-signatures.
Once the participants have completed the ID verification process, the notary is notified. At this point the notary can continue the remote notary process.
The notary signs back into the secure portal where they click the “Notarize Now” button for the transaction.
The notary must start the video first before the participants can join via video and audio.
When started all parties will be able to see and hear each other, as certain portions of the notarial act are also recorded.
Once the participants have entered their signatures, had their video recorded, the notary can click the “Notarize” button to complete and finish the notarial act.
Each participant will receive the notarized document via their email address, and they can also create a free account to access their documents.

What you need to know about ID Verification

With remote notarization if the person is not personally known to the notary, the notary must have each signer go through the ID Verification as required by the respective state laws.

What do the states require?

State laws usually require that a third party that specializes in ID verification or KBA to be able to generate at least 5 questions that only that signer knows the answers to, and the signer must answer 4 or more questions correctly within 2 minutes.  The signer can be given a second chance to answer questions again; however, if they fail it a second time the notary is not allowed to continue or perform the remote notarization either for a specific time period or permanently.  

What is required of the signer?

Again, by law if the signer cannot or does not pass the ID verification, the notary cannot continue with the remote notarization.  Doing so may make the notary liable or negligent if issues were to arise with the notarization in the future, and it is best practices to be safe than sorry later.

How do I know if the signer is eligible for remote?

The notary must vet each signer, and if the signers do not have the following below, they will not be able to pass the ID verification as the third party providers usually only have data on U.S. citizens only.
        A U.S. Citizen
        A Valid Social Security Number – Even though our system needs the last 4 digits, if the signer doesn’t have a SSN number, more likely than not they won’t be in any of the credit bureau databases
        A Valid U.S. Driver’s License – This is also a requirement in order for the third party to be able to find questions only the signer knows

Note: Passports cannot be verified and do not meet the state requirements

        Credit History – Technically, if they don’t have credit history in the U.S., they’re not going to pass the ID verification
        Make sure their credit reports aren’t locked. Because of the compromises in recent years it may be locked, and if that is the case they will fail.
        A Valid US Mobile Number – VOIP, Google Voice, Cable provided lines, etc. are not accepted, and it MUST be an actual mobile number from a mobile provider

IMPORTANT: It is very important to understand that even if all of the above is true, it still does not absolutely guarantee a signer or participant will pass no matter how many times they try.  Notaries MUST have contingency plans in place in case that occurs.

What if my signer isn’t a U.S. citizen or doesn’t have a social security number?

More likely than not the signer will NOT pass the legally required ID Verification required by state laws as outlined in various sections of the online help.  Please look at the part directly above regarding eligibility.
What is the most important thing the notary should be aware of?
Not everyone will pass ID verification no matter if they qualify or how many times they try.  

Is Prestige Livescan generating the questions?

No. Prestige Livescan is not an ID Verification company, but we are partnered with a company that is.  The questions a signer receives comes from one of these providers, and Prestige Livescan has zero control of the questions as we do not know anything about the signer.  All we know is if the signer answered 4 of the 5 correctly within the allowable 2 minutes as required by law as the ID provider gives us the pass or fail only in order to protect the signer’s privacy and data.  If a signer usually fails twice within a one hour period they are very unlikely to pass.

Do all signers have to pass?

Yes. All signers must pass ID verification in order for the notarial act to continue.  If there are multiple signers in a transaction, and one fails that notarial act or transaction cannot continue according to state laws.

Are passports acceptable?

No. Passports cannot be verified and do not meet the state requirements.

How many tries does a signer get?

Each signer only gets two tries per 24 to 48 hours for ID verification.  If the person fails it twice they will have to wait or if the person successfully does it twice they will still have to wait 24 to 48 hours to try again. The third party KBA providers have done this by design to prevent a person from trying over and over again until they get it right.  Usually if they can’t pass it with two attempts they are unlikely to pass it at all beyond that point.

Who are the ID Verification providers?

There are only a few actual third party ID verification providers that providers like Prestige Livescan may use to help assist in the process that meet specific state laws.  They are usually Lexis Nexis, Veratad, IDology, Trulioo, etc., as Prestige Livescan is not an ID verification company.

Requirements

In order to use the remote notary platform the following is required of the notary and the participants.  If the requirements cannot be met, then the remote notarial act cannot be done.

Browser MUST be one of the following.  It will not work with any other browser when using on Windows, Mac, or Android.

Windows or Android – Google Chrome
Windows – Firefox
Mac, IPhone, or IPad – Latest Safari

IF using either an IPad or IPhone it MUST be IOS version 11 or higher with Safari version 11 or higher.  It will not work on any other IOS versions.
A camera and microphone on the device that accessible is also by the browser.
Permission for the browser to access the camera and microphone.
Each signer MUST have their own device.
Notary must also vet the signers beforehand to make sure they can pass the ID verification if not personally know to them. This section has more info What you need to know about ID Verification
High speed Internet access is a must for everyone, and anything but a high speed uninterrupted connection could have adverse effects on both the ID verification and web cam

IMPORTANT: Even if the device may be compatible if the internet connection isn’t fast enough or high speed it will not work properly. Additionally, we do NOT recommend using a smartphone even though it will work with it.

How do I vet a remote signer?

Because remote notary laws are strict in regards to ID verification, and because of the web cam requirements it is the responsibility of the notary to vet each signer to make sure that they will be able to pass the ID Verification requirements, and that they have the proper bandwidth speeds as well as hardware to be able to be on a web can session.

The following below is a quick list to go through before a new transaction is started, and if any of the following is not met we highly recommend not initiating or creating a remote notary transaction.

1 – ID Verification (if not personally known)

        Is the signer a U.S. Citizen?
Does the signer have a Valid Social Security Number?
Does the signer have a Valid U.S. Driver’s License?
Does the signer have a Credit History in the U.S?

If any of the above is false, then it is highly unlikely the signer will pass the the ID Verification requirement.

2 – Device Requirements

Does the signer have the correct device, laptop, tablet, etc., to be able to get on a webcam session.  If they don’t have one of the following systems and/or browsers below, they will most likely not be able to get on a web cam session.

Windows or Mac

        Google Chrome – Version 30 or higher
FireFox – Version 24 or higher

Android (smartphones and tablets)

Google Chrome – latest version

IOS (IPhone or IPad)

IOS 11 or Higher only, and the Safari browser that comes with IOS 11 or higher

How it works

Not to be confused with e-notarizations, some states allow their commissioned notaries to perform e-notarizations through a remote web cam session.  The following steps describes the remote notary process from the point of view of the notary, and what to expect when the notary uploads their own notarial transactions.

The notary receives the documents from the participants, and uploads them to the secured notary portal.
The state may require ID verification if the participant is not legally known to the notary.  If ID verification is done, you will need to know each of the participant’s email addresses, and they MUST be unique as sharing email addresses among spouses for example is not permitted.
Once the document is uploaded, each participant is notified if the are required to go through the ID verification process. Upon completion of the ID verification process, each participant can also enter to create their e-signatures.
Once the participants have completed the ID verification process, the notary is notified. At this point the notary can continue the remote notary process.
The notary signs back into the secure portal where they click the “Notarize Now” button for the transaction.
The notary must start the video first before the participants can join via video and audio.
When started all parties will be able to see and hear each other, as certain portions of the notarial act are also recorded.
Once the participants have entered their signatures, had their video recorded, the notary can click the “Notarize” button to complete and finish the notarial act.
Each participant will receive the notarized document via their email address, and they can also create a free account to access their documents.

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Prestige Livescan offers Remote Online Notarization for Florida documents. 
Schedule your appointment online today using the link below.