Missouri Online Notary

1. Age: You must be at least 18 years old.
2. Residency: You must be a resident of the state of Missouri or have a place of employment or practice in the state.
3. Criminal Background: You must not have been convicted of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude, such as fraud, perjury, or bribery.
4. Training: You must complete a state-approved notary public training course and pass a written examination.
5. Application: You must submit a completed application to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, along with the required fee (usually around $25) and other supporting documents, such as proof of residency or employment in Missouri.
6. Bond: You must obtain a notary public surety bond (usually $10,000) from an insurance company authorized to do business in Missouri. This bond protects the public against any misconduct or negligence on your part as a notary.
7. Commission: If your application is approved, you will receive a commission from the Secretary of State’s office, which is valid for a term of four years.

It’s important to note that notaries public in Missouri must maintain a notary public record book and follow specific rules and procedures when performing notarial acts, such as witnessing signatures and administering oaths or affirmations.

RCW
42.45.210 or RCW 18.235.130

Online Notaries can perform transactions for individuals throughout Washington (within the reach of their residency), including: marriage certificates; birth certificates; death certificates; death records; divorces; adoptions; adoptions and adoptions court records; deeds of trust; wills and power of attorney forms.

Yes, it is generally illegal to sign someone else’s name or signature in Missouri without proper legal authority.

Under Missouri law, specifically Missouri Revised Statutes Section 570.090, forgery is a criminal offense. Forgery is defined as falsely making, completing or altering a written instrument (like a document, check, contract, etc.) with the intent to defraud.

Signing someone else’s name on a document without their permission would qualify as forgery, as you are falsely making or altering that written instrument.

There are a few limited exceptions where signing for someone else may be allowed in Missouri:

1. If you have power of attorney granted to you by the other person, explicitly allowing you to sign documents on their behalf.
2. If you are the legal guardian of someone who is incapacitated and have been granted authority by the court to sign for them.
3. If you are a parent signing on behalf of your minor child in certain situations, like school forms.

However, outside of those limited circumstances, signing someone’s name without their consent is illegal forgery in Missouri. The forgery penalties can range from a Class E felony down to a Class A misdemeanor, depending on factors like monetary amounts involved.

To start a Missouri online notary business, you’ll need to follow these steps:

1. Meet the Eligibility Requirements

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a resident of Missouri or have a place of employment/practice in the state
• Have no felony convictions or offenses involving moral turpitude
• Complete a Missouri notary public training course and pass the exam

2. Obtain a Traditional Notary Commission

• Submit an application to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office
• Pay the application fee (around $25)
• Provide proof of residency/employment in Missouri
• Obtain a $10,000 notary surety bond
• Receive your traditional 4-year notary public commission

3. Apply for Remote Online Notary Authorization

• Submit the online notary application to the Secretary of State
• Pay the online notary application fee (around $25)
• Provide details about your online notarization technology/providers
• Get fingerprinted for the background check
• Receive approval for online notary authority

4. Get Online Notarization Technology

• Use an approved digital certificate/electronic credential
• Obtain remote online notarization software that meets state standards
• Have a device with audio/video capability to remotely identify signers

5. Follow Online Notarization Rules

• Keep an online notarization journal
• Identify signers through approved methods like knowledge-based authentication
• Record audio/video of remote online notarizations
• Store recordings and journals securely for 10 years

6. Market Your Online Notary Services

• Set rates and advertise online notary services
• Offer services nationally for approved documents
• Consider joining online notary directories

By completing the traditional and online notary authorizations in Missouri, you can legally perform both in-person and remote online notarizations for your clients.