ALTA strives to help members identify the benefits and risks associated with digital closings in order to put the industry in the best position to solve problems and inspire innovative ideas. ALTA is your source for tools and education about various aspects of digital closing and provide information about the availability of technological advances such as remote online rotary (RON).

Digital Closings Topics Page

Digital Transformation Videos

Ask the Digital Boot Camp Experts

Resources
An Introduction to Digital Closings for Consumers

Thanks to innovations by the title and settlement services industry, consumers can close on their dream home from the comfort of their couch in most cases. This video is meant as a baseline introduction to digital closings.

 

Federal Legislation

The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2023 (SECURE Notarization Act) would permit immediate nationwide use of remote online notary (RON) with minimum standards and provide certainty for the interstate recognition of RON.

Senate Bill 1212

House Bill 3962

House Bill 1059

Legislation Resources


Resources for Finding RON Vendors


State Laws Authorizing Remote e-Notarization

Emergency orders and guidance issued by states on RON do not necessarily conform with the ALTA-MBA model or RULONA standards for consumer protections and anti-fraud safeguards. The powers of entities to issue such orders should to be reviewed on a state-by-state basis. Prior to relying on any emergency order or guidance, you should contact your underwriter. 48 states and the District of Columbia have either passed a RON law or issued an executive order pertaining to remotely notarizing documents, some have done both.

Please email any additional orders or guidance not listed to eblosser@alta.org.

Green indicates when RON laws were passed with darker green more recently. Click on each state for links to Laws and Regulations. Click "x" to close.


Digital Closing Articles

Recent 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019

The Legal and Regulatory Landscape for Digital Closings
AZ Big Media  |  December 30, 2019
In a recent report aimed at identifying improvements to the regulatory landscape that will better support financial technology and foster innovation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury offered three key recommendations to improve the electronic closing and recording process.
The Different Ways to Close Real Estate Purchase or Refinance
AZ Big Media  |  December 29, 2019
The ability to digitally purchase a home or refinance a mortgage is contingent on the laws in each state. While a digital closing is an option is many states, there are many ways consumers can complete their transactions.
Qualia Raises $55M to Transform Real Estate Transaction Infrastructure
November 14, 2019
Qualia announced it has raised $55 million in Series C financing led by Tiger Global, along with existing investors Bienville Capital, 8VC and Menlo Ventures.
First American Launches Mobile-focused Title and Escrow Company
November 12, 2019
Developed as a new stand-alone company, Endpoint combines First American’s title and settlement expertise with a startup to provide a digital real estate closing experience from start to finish. First American has invested $30 million to drive the company’s development and growth.
Survey: Most Title Companies Interested in Offering Digital Closings
November 7, 2019
Eighty percent of title companies are interested in conducting digital closings or have already closed some type of hybrid, electronic or remote online closing, according to recent ALTA survey. Read on to learn what top factors affect a title company's timeline to implement technology to conduct digital closings.
Snadocs Raises $25 Million to Bolster Digital Closing Platform
November 7, 2019
San Francisco-based real estate technology company Snapdocs has raised $25 million in series B funding to further develop its digital closing platform as well as its artificial intelligence offerings.
Ginnie Mae Seeks Input on Digital Mortgage Guidelines
October 29, 2019
Ginnie Mae issued a Request for Input (RFI) on the requirements that address the acceptability of digital promissory notes and other electronic documents as well as participation in its Digital Collateral Pilot.
Survey: Consumers Prefer In-person Closing but Want More Digital Experience
October 29, 2019
According to a new survey from Solidifi, eight in 10 consumers still prefer to complete their transaction in person. The results reinforce the importance of having a professional and qualified closing agent at the table as they proceed through the closing process on a home purchase or refinance.
Fidelity Launches Digital Closing Hub
October 23, 2019
The Digital Closing Hub is available to FNF title agents nationwide and provides content focused on industry news, educational materials for agents and their office staff, marketing tips when it comes to dealing with lenders and real estate agents, and a list of approved vendors to help with the digital closing process.
Quicken Pushes Out E-closing Capabilities to All 50 States
October 9, 2019
Through Amrock, a sister company of Quicken Loans, there are three ways to complete a mortgage electronically: an in-person hybrid e-closing, an in-person electronic notarization and a remote online notarization.
Get Help Going Digital
October 1, 2019
You asked, we answered: We have added two new dates to the Digital Closing & eMortgage Boot Camps! ALTA and the Mortgage Bankers Association have teamed up to bring you a series of live events in 2019-2020 to help your business navigate the digital closing process.
Ohio Remote Online Notary Legislation Goes Into Effect
September 26, 2019
Ohio’s remote online legislation, which follows key principles of the ALTA-MBA model, went into effect Sept. 20. The state adopted MISMO’s standards in its administrative rules for implementing the Notary Public Modernization Act.
ALTA Whitepaper Addresses Redaction of Info in Public Land Records
September 10, 2019
ALTA’s Real Property Records Committee has finalized a white paper titled “Privacy, Redaction, and Public Land Records,” which provides guidance on the redaction of information in the public land records. The paper makes recommendations for effective solutions to protect privacy in the public land records.
Have You Gone Digital?
September 10, 2019
Digital closings and the companies facilitating them are undoubtedly on the rise. Whether you have participated in a hybrid closing, remote online notarization or a full in-person e-closing—or even if you have no experience with digital closings at all—we want to hear about it by taking ALTA's Digital Closing Survey. Among the questions, the survey will capture information on whether companies have been asked to conduct a digital closing, when they expect to conduct these types of closings and a company's readiness for digital closings.
SoftPro Integrates With Black Knight’s Digital Closing Solution
August 28, 2019
Users of SoftPro 360 business exchange platform have access to the integration with Expedite Close and securely sign and notarize documents online.
ClosingLock Offers E-Signing Service
August 1, 2019
“We worked diligently to give our customers the ability to securely share documents and also have those documents electronically signed, all within the same system,” said Andy White, ClosingLock’s CEO and co-founder. “Several of our current clients gave us great insight into their system needs, and we believe our new e-signing feature fulfills those needs.”