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In 2012 the Commonwealth of Virginia became the first state to authorize a signer to be in a remote location and have a document notarized electronically by an eNotary using electronic audio and visual conference technology.

For Notary Publics who wish to become eNotaries, the Code of Virginia requires the notary to acquire a digital certificate (digital signature) and register themselves with the Secretary’s office using the online process in the Electronic Enabled Notary Application.

IdenTrust provides commissioned Virginia Notary Publics with digital certificates that meet the standards for the signature, one of which is to make sure the digital signature matches exactly to the name on the current notary commission certificate.

Requirements to Comply with the eNotary Program

IdenTrust will provide Notary Publics with IGC x.509 digital certificates.  These digital certificates will be managed and controlled by IdenTrust as part of the IdenTrust Global Common, which is a Federal Bridge Certified policy .  These certificates meet the requirements outlined in the Electronically-Enabled Notary Public Instructions document which can be found on the Virginia.gov website, under the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Your IdenTrust digital certificate/signature:

  • Is based on the use of a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and is cross-certified with the U.S. Federal Bridge
  • Can be verified using a chain of trust that ends in a Trusted Root Certificate which is ITU-T x.509 compliant
  • Will have a validity period of two (2) years from the date of certificate retrieval

Obtaining an IdenTrust IGC Certificate for the eNotary Program

A digital certificate is a form of online identification that can be used to digitally sign electronic documents. State Notary law requires that your digital certificate/signature matches exactly to the name on your current notary commission. If your commission is in a maiden name or a variation of your first or middle name, Bill vs. William for example, you must apply for your certificate using the exact name that is listed with the Notary Commission.

If you are visiting this page because you will need a digital certificate/signature to use with the Virginia E-Notary program, this section will provide you with information about your digital certificate.  If you are ready to buy, simply select the BUY button below and you will be directed to our Certificate Selection Wizard where we will assist you in making your purchase.

IMPORTANT NOTE: IdenTrust currently supports only middle initial (not full middle name). If your notary commission lists your full middle name, you will need to enter your first (space) middle name in the "first name" field, leaving the middle initial box blank. If your notary commission lists your middle initial, please enter that in the "middle initial" box.

Example:

Example

It is your responsibility to ensure that your digital certificate (digital signature) application is completed using the exact name listed on your notary commission.

IdenTrust will issue your certificate with the name you use during the application process. If that name does not match exactly to the name on your current notary commission, you will not be able to use the certificate for the eNotary Program. Certificates are non-refundable.


If you are ready to purchase your IGC certificate for the Commonwealth of Virginia eNotary program, simply select BUY NOW and use our Certificate Selection Wizard to determine the best certificate for your needs.