Proof Puts Notaries at the Heart of the Digital Economy

Today is a day to honor and celebrate the notaries on our platform.

Notaries helped launch Notarize in 2015 and were further empowered when we opened the Notarize platform to every notary in 2020. We want to thank you for the trust you place in us, whether you’re notarizing documents for your employer, building a business as an independent notary, or serving customers from our on-demand Notarize Network. 

Your knowledge, professionalism and attention to customer care is what makes Notarize the most trusted brand in the industry.

We’ve accomplished so much together in just a few years. You’ve supported millions of signers as they complete their most sensitive and important documents. Through the Notarize Network, over $12 million has gone into the pockets of entrepreneurial notaries, providing a lucrative source of income and opportunity while also saving notaries time and money – whether that be costs in gas, paper, or their personal time.

We have always been committed to your success as a notary through our legislative engagement, industry advocacy, and commitment to fostering community. But we believe we have a far greater mission that involves finding new ways to incorporate notaries and the trust they bring into the digital economy. 

Today, we proudly announce Proof: a first-of-its kind signature platform helping everyone operate with more trust online, including notaries. With Proof, you’ll be able to diversify your offerings by relying on the highest level of identity assurance in the industry.

You deserve nothing less.

We believe notaries are the ultimate pillar of trust and integrity in today's economy. That’s why we’re going to use Proof’s expanded reach to reimagine the role of the notary public, and cement its status as an agent of trust online. 

A World of New Opportunities

Not every transaction legally requires a notarization, but every transaction could benefit from what it takes to complete a notarization: proof of signer identity; proof of signer understanding; proof of signer intent.

This makes notaries uniquely qualified to help with bringing trust and identity online.

With Proof, we are placing notaries at the heart of the digital identity space as trusted referees. These highly skilled members of the Notarize Network will be trained to serve as identity agents for transactions that don’t need notarization but require a little extra care. 

By leveraging the Notarize Panels launched earlier this year, Proof is the first platform with on-demand access to trusted referees, helping enterprise customers complete identity proofing transactions to the highest standards. We will launch our trusted referee program in the coming weeks, and will share everything you need to know about how you can get involved as we scale the program.

And by the end of this year, Proof will achieve NIST IAL2 certification for our identity verification technology, unlocking new transaction types that have specific regulatory requirements around identity verification. 

This means that in addition to the notarization volume on our platform, there are new, untapped opportunities for notaries to support eSign volume that previously didn’t require their expertise. 

As we create new opportunities for the Notarize Network, we’ll also continue to explore and launch new ways for notaries to offer these services to their own customers.

Simply put: The experiences and opportunities for notaries will only grow with Proof.

Digital Identity Requires Many Forms of Trust

We created Proof to be a one-stop shop for every company that conducts business online. It will also be the first signature platform on the market to offer identity-verified signatures through an automated verification process – without the need for a notary meeting. 

But humans will always be at the center of trust, not technology. When Proof identifies potential risk on the platform, it will up-level the transaction to a trusted referee who will either confirm signer identity or flag it as fraudulent. 

Imagine a recently married couple is signing a lease for an apartment. If either of them changed their last name as part of the marriage process, there’s a chance their driver’s license won’t match the name on their application.

Instead of turning them away, a trusted referee could review the signer’s information, ask questions, and apply reason to confirm signer identity – much like notaries do to support notarizations on the platform today.

When Proof receives IAL2 certification, it will open the door to hundreds of additional use cases where transacting with simple eSign solutions isn’t enough. 

For example, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration requires an IAL2 signing experience for odometer disclosures to be submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Elsewhere, the Drug Enforcement Administration requires clinicians providing remote care to verify their identity through a third party when writing prescriptions for controlled substances. 

Our goal is to build the Notarize Network into a marketplace of trusted transactions, where businesses can connect with notaries to complete notarizations, real estate closings, custom business transactions, and now identity proofing.

We’re Still the Same Company

Our ambitions with Proof will not overshadow our commitment to the Notarize community. Notarize will still remain a core component of Proof and will be known as the enterprise Notary Network and community driving the digital economy forward. 

We will continue to serve as the leader of online notarization, advocate for what’s in the best interest of the notary community, and support you with the opportunities and resources you need to fuel your entrepreneurial spirit.

And for those still waiting to join the platform – or see a bill passed in their state – we remain committed in our efforts to see online notarization adoption in all 50 states. Our Government Affairs team looks forward to continued collaboration with policymakers to ensure that we’re providing the best possible experience for notaries and the communities they serve.

We truly believe notaries are the key to digital identity and a pillar of trust both today and in the future beyond. We’re excited for all the new ways that Proof will empower notaries to participate in the digital economy.

To learn more about our vision for Proof and its capabilities, read our official launch post.