Minnesota Notary Training

Your local Minnesota Education Provider

A Noggin Guru Company

Minnesota Notary Training

CLOSING AGENT PRE-LICENSE / MOBILE NOTARY TRAINING

                              PROPERTY RECORDS TRAINING

We are local Minnesota Educators that empower students to achieve their professional real estate goals through practical, engaging, pre-license, and professional development courses for the property records industry.
Jeanne Johnson is a 30+ year veteran of the real estate business. She began her real estate career as a closer, then became a title abstractor, title examiner and property records educator. With a passion for real estate, she began to teach and write courses based on her depth of experience. She has been Education Chair for the Minnesota Land Title Association and the National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors. She taught for the American Land Title Association and has written courses for Dearborn Real Estate Education, 360 Training, CE Network, and others. She is a Licensed Education Provider for Minnesota and holds both the Certified Distance Education Instructor (CDEI) Designation and Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) Certification. She is a member of the Property Records Industry Association (PRIA). She has a passion for real estate and thoroughly enjoys working with students as they advance their careers and work to stay current in the property records industry.

*Affiliated with Noggin Guru, LLC and presented by Jeanne Johnson & Associates LLC, a licensed Minnesota Education Provider – License No. 21022856

Jeanne Johnson

Your Course Instructor and Author

We are available to students for questions and help.
Your course instructor and author has over 30 years of real estate experience as:
  • Notary Public
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Real Estate Closer
  • Licensed Abstractor
  • Title Insurance Underwriter
  • Title Examiner
 
 
Minnesota Notary Training

Minnesota Notary Training

Here you will learn about the laws, rules, responsibilities, and standards of practice for being a notary, as well as tips on how to handle various situations. This is a critical course for Minnesota notaries to understand their role as a professional notary or signing agent. The content covers traditional notarization, e-notarization and remote notarization.

Online Real Estate Classes

Land Records, Abstracting, Searching MN/Midwest

Gain a solid working knowledge of abstracting from patent to present. Search all the public offices and discover the ins and outs. This class features excellent preparation material for the state licensing examination!

Professional Closing

Minnesota Closing Agent Pre-License

“Principles of Closing“ is an eight hour, online, pre-license closing procedures course that has been approved by the Minnesota Department of Commerce for Closing Procedures and the Closing Agent License, which is required by the state for real estate closers, mobile notaries, e-notaries and remote online notaries who authenticate any real estate documents.

National Searching

Land Records, Abstracting and Searching – National Edition

Learn the nuts and bolts of abstracting by gaining an in-depth overview of estate law, and public and private rights, while learning to deal with various types of legal descriptions.

Title Exam for Title Insurers (Midwest)

This comprehensive course covers the title exam from government patent forward. It showcases the thirty and forty-year laws, along with exceptions that are particularly important when reviewing commercial properties.

Map of a legal description

Reading and Drawing Legal Descriptions

Learn to follow simple and complex legal descriptions on a survey or map. Draw metes and bounds legal descriptions from written text and identify possible gaps and overlaps. Recognize valid descriptions.

ABSTRACTER EXAM PREP

Abstracter Exam Prep

The state exam for abstracters is extremely challenging, even for those with experience. Take this exam prep class to see if you are ready, or if you need to brush up and be current on new laws with our Abstracting, Searching and Land Records Management class or our Reading and Drawing Legal Descriptions class.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

What is and eNotary?

An eNotary is a Notary Public who notarizes documents electronically. One of the methods employed by eNotaries is the use of a digital signature and digital notary seal to notarize digital documents and validate them with a digital certificate. Electronic notarization is a process whereby a notary affixes an electronic signature and notary seal using a secure Public key to an electronic document (such as a PDF or Word document).

Exam photo
 Salesperson Exam Prep 

The Salesperson Exam Prep class is mapped to the “Real Estate Exam Content Outline” provided by the state. It reviews content, and links directly to key statutes that are identified as test question statutes. Build your confidence and pass the  national and state tests with this class.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems.[1]

The Worshipful Company of Scriveners use an old English term for a notary, and are an association of notaries practising in central London since 1373.

From Landrecs.com:

Who is Jeanne Johnson?

Jeanne Johnson is a 30+ year veteran of the real estate business. She began her career as a closer and Realtor®, then became a title abstractor, title examiner, and once again Realtor®. With a passion for real estate, she began to teach and write courses based on her depth of experience.

FAQ – How to Become a Minnesota Notary

To obtain a Notary Commission, the applicant must:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age.
  2. Be either a Minnesota resident or a resident of a county in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin and list the Minnesota County he or she will be filing in upon receiving their commission.
  3. Complete and mail the Notary Application.
  4. Include a $120 non-refundable money order payable to the MN Secretary of State.
  5. While no Notary Training, Bond, or Errors and Omissions Insurance is required, all of these are highly recommended.
  6. Obtain your Notary Commission/s from the Secretary of State.
  7. E-notaries require a separate e-notary commission from the Secretary of State.
  8. Remote Online Notaries (RON) also require a separate RON commission from the Secretary of State and need to know and follow special laws and rules set forth in the statute.
  9. Record your Notary Commission/s in your County of Residence!
Signing-Notary

Closers and Signing Agents must Complete the Closing Agent License Application from the MN Department of Commerce at the Pulseportal site and must also complete 8 hours of Closing Agent License Education. 

Remote Online Notaries

Remote online notarization is an important step in real estate.

FAQ for Closing Agents, Signing Agents, Mobile Notaries and Remote Online Notaries

Consumers today buy everything online! The National Association of Realtors said in 2019, 44% of buyers started with an online. We search for our dream homes online. We view, get pricing, details, photos and videos. We get mortgage offers online and now we can close online, using a computer, smart phone, or tablet.

In 2017 the real estate industry took a big leap into the future. The Wall Street Journal reported that real estate closings had moved into the digital age with Remote Online Notarization (RON) when a Chicago couple closed a transaction with a Michigan lender, using a Virginia notary, on a laptop, in thirty minutes. RON’s are moving fast now and they are our future!

 

E-sign Closings

E-sign or E-closings, by definition, have some documents signed electronically with either typed or written signatures (like you scribble on the pad at the department store.) Other documents (such as the mortgage note) are required to be “wet-signed” with pen and ink on paper. E-sign closings require the signer to physically appear before the Notary Public (not via computer, etc.) so there must be a face-to-face meeting. E-signings are often handled by “mobile notaries,” a term of art that refers to a notary traveling to the consumer to sign and notarize documents. This is especially true for online lenders who don’t have a physical presence where their customers are. Mobile Closing Agents are their answer. 

Remote Online Notarization (RON) Closings

Unlike e-closings, RON closers and signers use computers, tablets, or smart phones to electronically sign closing documents and notarize the signers’ signatures. With RON Closings, the buyers, borrowers, sellers and the notary can all be located in different physical locations. The identity of the signer is established with two-way audio-video technology and credential analysis. Credential analysis occurs where signers answer a series of questions to properly identify themselves before the closing, and the notary goes through a script, confirming information and asking the signers to look into the camera and show a matching photo ID, which is stored on the video recording as part of the closing process.

In order to perform RON closings, there are certain requirements that must be met for lenders and title insurance underwriters to insure and provide owner’s and lender’s title policies. So, what are they?

MN RON FAQ

Q: Must Remote Online Notaries be sanctioned by the State?

A: Yes, the notary must be licensed with the MN Secretary of State, specifically as an authorized e-sign and/or Remote Online Notary (RON) The MN notary must first be commissioned as a traditional notary public before becoming eligible for an appointment as an e-sign notary or RON notary. See the Minnesota Secretary of State site  here for information on e-sign and RON applications.

Q:  Must: The notary must be licensed as a closing agent with the MN Department of Commerce?

A:  Yes, Similar to a Real Estate Agent or Broker’s license, a closing agent license from the Minnesota Department of Commerce is a requirement, and there is a potential $10,000 fine for non-compliance.

Q: How do I get a Closing Agent License?

A: There is a formal Closing Agent application on the state’s site at Pulseportal.com that must be completed. Go to the site>Program is: Minnesota Department of Commerce >Board is: Real Estate> Licensing Service is: Submit License Application > Entity Type: Individual> License Type: Closing Agent. You must complete the application.

Q: Does the State Require Education for the Closing Agent License?

A:  State Law 82.641 requires eight hours of education for the Closing Agent License.   The state approved 8 hour online education course can be found here: Real Estate Closing Agent Course.

Q:  Can a RON notarize mortgages anywhere in the country?

A:  Yes, however, the notary must physically be located within the state of Minnesota when remotely notarizing documents. The location of the signer/s must be within the United States, and the notary must verify the signer’s location at time of signing. That means asking the question and getting the answer on the RON video recording and using the correct RON notary certificate to match state recording requirements.

Q:  Can we use RON on all loan signings?

A:  RON can only be used when consent is given by all parties. All parties include: the signers -buyers and sellers; the lender; the title company insuring the loan; and the County Recorder where the documents are to be recorded. Signers must approve and consent in writing as part of the transaction.

Q:  Are there Requirements for RON Technology? 

A: Yes, the RON technology vendor must meet all the MN statutory requirements under MN Statute 368.645 for identity proofing (also known as knowledge based authentication credential analysis) and electronic storage. So, the notary must choose a technology vendor that meets the standards, and must maintain an electronic journal and have an electronic seal that meets state law.

Q: How is the Notarization record maintained and who is responsible for it?

A:  The remote online notarization recorded video must be stored and maintained by the notary or his/her employer for at least 10 years and an electronic journal must also be maintained. See statute. This may also be satisfied by the RON technology vendor. So check the vendor contract.

Q: What about recording of the RON mortgages and deeds?

A:  Electronic Recording must be accepted by the Courthouse where documents are being recordedThis is very important – the county where the property is located and its jurisdiction (either Abstract or Torrens offices) must accept electronic documents for recording. If not, the more traditional notary and wet-sign paper closing process must be used. The counties accepting electronic notarization are expanding quickly, but be sure to verify this before the signing! There may be a work-around, if allowed.  An electronic document that has been printed  into “tangible form” by the notary, who adds a special acknowledgment, may be recorded in any county under state law.358.646. But check with the the county of recording to verify their process and requirements.

RON and e-sign closings are widely accepted by the public who is used to purchasing on the internet. They save a lot of time, travel, paper and the expense of brick and mortar closing offices.  As more and more technology providers fill this need, and consumers find more and more mortgage providers online, closers need to meet the need and adapt. Our closings will have a significantly different look and feel. More like a ZOOM meeting, than a traditional table fund closing. Professional electronic and remote Closing Agents, I expect, will soon become the norm, working from home.

Be prepared – now is the time to get your commission and gear up for  e-sign and RON Closings.

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Three Types Of Notary Commisions
Read the FAQ here.
How to Follow, Read and Draw a Legal Description
Read the FAQ here.