Are Maryland notaries allowed to perform remote online notarizations (RON)?

• A. Not allowed under any circumstances.
• B. Allowed without restrictions.
• C. Allowed if permitted by law, with compliance to identity verification and recording and current statutes.
• D. Only allowed for certain documents.

Answer: (C)

Remote online notarization in Maryland is not automatic; it exists only where the law expressly authorizes it and sets required procedures. The best choice reflects that you may perform a remote notarization only if it is permitted by current statute and you follow the mandated steps. Those steps include proper identity verification, typically using approved methods such as credential analysis, identity proofing, or other statutorily required processes, as well as conducting the session via audio-visual technology and recording the act. In addition, the notary must adhere to the recording and record-keeping requirements and any other provisions the statute imposes, all aligned with the statute in effect at the time. This combination—lawful authorization plus compliant identity verification and recording—is what makes remote notarization permissible, rather than unrestricted or automatically allowed.