Online notarization in Malden, MA

Massachusetts at a glance

Online notarization legal since

January 1, 2024 (M.G.L. c. 222, §§ 27–29, inserted by St. 2023, c. 2, § 33; delayed effective date under § 85)

Source: St. 2023, c. 2, § 85

Governing law

M.G.L. c. 222 — §§ 27–29 (remote notarial acts, inserted by St. 2023, c. 2, § 33) with § 22 (journal and fees, as amended); no administrative rule chapter confirmed on a primary source

Source: St. 2023, c. 2, §§ 29–33; M.G.L. c. 222, §§ 22, 27–29

Notary authorization for online acts

Register as a remote notary with the state secretary before the first remote act, identifying the communication technology; the secretary may require up to 3 hours of training

Source: M.G.L. c. 222, § 28

Notary fee cap for an online act

No per-act cap in the online-notarization statute; any technology services fee, and its amount, must be recorded in the journal

Source: M.G.L. c. 222, § 22(c); c. 262, § 41

Identity verification

Personal knowledge, a credible witness who knows both notary and signer, or at least two different types of identity-proofing processes

Source: M.G.L. c. 222, § 28(a)

Signer location

Anywhere outside the notary's physical presence, including outside Massachusetts; outside the U.S. only for a U.S.-connected record, unless the foreign state prohibits the act

Source: M.G.L. c. 222, § 28(b); § 1 (definition of 'remotely-located individual')

Journal and recording retention

Audio-visual recording 10 years (notary, representative or designated repository); the journal has no fixed term and is surrendered or destroyed only as directed by law, court order or regulation

Source: M.G.L. c. 222, § 28(f); § 22

Document classes excluded from online notarization

Records related to the electoral process, and wills or codicils; residential real-property closings must be handled by an attorney or under attorney supervision

Source: M.G.L. c. 222, § 28

Reviewed 2026-08-24