THIS BULLETIN IS FURNISHED TO INFORM YOU OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS. AS A REMINDER, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT ON VIRTUAL UNDERWRITER AS IT EXISTS FROM TIME TO TIME AS IT APPLIES TO YOU, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS. OUR UNDERWRITING AGREEMENTS DO NOT AUTHORIZE OUR ISSUING AGENTS TO ENGAGE IN SETTLEMENTS OR CLOSINGS ON BEHALF OF STEWART TITLE GUARANTY COMPANY. THIS BULLETIN IS NOT INTENDED TO DIRECT YOUR ESCROW OR SETTLEMENT PRACTICES OR TO CHANGE PROVISIONS OF APPLICABLE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENTS. CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, OR NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD NEVER BE SHARED OR DISSEMINATED EXCEPT AS ALLOWED BY LAW. IF APPLICABLE STATE LAW OR REGULATION IMPOSES ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
Bulletin: PA2020002
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Bulletin: PA2020002
Note: This Bulletin has been replaced by PA2020003 - UNDERWRITING - UPDATE - Temporary Suspension of Personal Appearance Requirement During Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). Use it for reference only.
Dear Associates:
Please note that remote notarization and Remote Online Notarization are different processes with different requirements.
On March 26, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Wolf approved a temporary and limited suspension of the requirement for physical presence of notaries in certain real estate transactions, as normally required under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306, the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) for Pennsylvania.
The notice is available on the Pennsylvania Department of State website: https://www.dos.pa.gov/Documents/2020-03-25-Notaries-Inperson-limited-suspension.pdf
For personal real estate transactions, the Governor approved a temporary notarial rule suspension be granted only for real estate transactions that were already in process (e.g. agreement of sale completed for residential property and only mortgage closing needs to take place).
For all commercial real estate transactions, the Governor approved a temporary suspension for both transactions that were already in process, as well as new transactions during the emergency period.
Notaries must execute all notarial acts, including acknowledgments, in accordance with all other requirement of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA).
All notaries who are using audio-visual technology as an alternative to personal appearance must:
- become an approved Pennsylvania electronic notary (free application) https://www.notaries.pa.gov/Pages/NotaryChangeApplication.aspx?AppType=3
- use an e-notary solution already approved by the Department that offer remote notarization technology
- indicate in the notary certificate that the notarial act was performed by means of communication technology. The following statement will satisfy that requirement – “This notarial act involved the use of communication technology.”
E-Notary Solutions approved by the Department:
Doc-Verify (for general use)
Safe-Docs (for general use)
Pavaso (for title companies and other real-estate transactions)
Please note a dedicated site on VU for all things COVID-19 related: https://www.vuwriter.com/en/coronavirus-resources.html.
If you have any questions relating to this or other bulletins, please contact a Stewart Title Guaranty Company underwriter.
For on-line viewing of this and other bulletins, please log onto www.vuwriter.com.
References
- Bulletins Replaced:
- None
- Related Bulletins:
- Underwriting Manual:
- None
- Exceptions Manual:
- None
- Forms:
- None