CA AB2368

Authorizes notaries public and applicants to register with the Secretary of State as online notary publics, effective January 1, 2020, to perform notarizations via audio-video communication.

Requires online notaries to complete a 3-hour approved course and examination, maintain secure electronic journals recording each online notarial act, and use electronic signatures and seals meeting standards set by the Secretary of State.

Establishes identity verification requirements for online notarizations through credible witnesses, remote credential presentation with credential analysis and identity proofing, valid public key certificates, or other Secretary of State-approved methods.

Permits online notaries to perform notarizations for principals located in California, elsewhere in the United States, or outside the U.S. if not prohibited in the principal's jurisdiction; caps online notarization fees at $25.

Makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly obtain, conceal, damage, or destroy the certificate, disk, coding, card, program, software, or hardware enabling an online notary's electronic signature or seal without authorization.