(COLUMBIA, SC) – On May 18, 2021, Governor Henry McMaster signed into law the South Carolina Electronic Notary Public Act. The Act allows a notary public to register as an electronic notary and sets forth the requirements for electronic notaries public and electronic notarial acts. The Secretary of State’s Office will begin accepting electronic notary public applications after administrative regulations have been promulgated and vendors of electronic notarization technology are approved by the Secretary of State.

Once registration is open, a notary public will be able to apply for registration as an electronic notary upon meeting the requirements outlined in the Act, which include completion of a course and exam as well as identification of the technology the notary intends to use. The administrative regulations will provide additional details as to the requirements for electronic notaries public as well as electronic notarization system vendors. Secretary of State Mark Hammond anticipates that promulgation of proposed regulations will begin this summer and hopes to have finalized regulations in place by spring of 2022.  

“I am pleased that electronic notarization will now be an option for South Carolina notaries, as technology evolves and more transactions are recorded electronically,” said Secretary Hammond. “Once the regulations are passed, I hope that our commissioned notaries public will register as electronic notaries and begin offering these services to South Carolinians.”

Once administrative regulations are in effect and vendors of technology are approved by the Secretary of State, prospective electronic notaries public will be able to take the required course and exam and apply for registration as an electronic notary. Registration information will be posted on the Secretary of State’s website when it is available.