Remote Notarization in Illinois: A New Law for 2022
Throughout the past couple of years, many in the real estate industry clamored for remote notarization in Illinois. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, more than 4.7 million Americans worked remotely at least half the time, reaching a peak of 164.6 million people in February 2020.
Unsurprisingly, the trend was bound to influence the real estate industry. With the industry consistently evolving its technical capabilities, remote notarization quickly grew into one of the most sought-after components of the real estate closing process.
Fortunately, the state of Illinois enacted Senate Bill 2664 on July 23rd, making remote notarization a reality.
Remote Notarization in Illinois Comes to Pass
In an amendment to the Notary Public Act, the Illinois Senate passed a bill enacting remote notarization in Illinois. With the new law, Illinois authorizes remote and electronic notarizations for real estate transactions (among numerous other transaction types).
Additionally, Senate Bill 2664 provides for the specific two-way audio-visual requirements needed for proper remote and electronic notarizations “that meets any rules adopted by the Secretary of State”. For these purposes, audio-video communication entails communication where another person can see, hear, and communicate in real-time via electronic means.
The Future of Remote Notarization in Illinois
With the official passing of Senate Bill 2664, it is more than clear that remote notarization in Illinois is here to stay. As of August, 4th 2021, 36 states enacted remote online notarization laws. Also, two states (Alabama and South Dakota) enacted remote ink notarization laws, showing that the trend represents more of a technological embracement for the real estate industry.
While Governor JB Pritzker initially pushed for remote notarization as a mitigation approach to COVID-19, the recent Senate approval represents more of a long-term embracement of the concept.
To learn more about remote notarization in Illinois, schedule an appointment with the real estate attorney at Lee Scott Perres, P.C.
