What is an online notary (RON)?

An online notary public is a commissioned notary public in the State of Texas who has the authority to perform a remote notarization using an audio-visual conference rather than having the individual physically appear before the notary at the time of the notarization. The notary must use a third party to perform identify proofing and credential analysis in order to identify the person for whom you are performing the notarization.

Online notaries public in Texas are governed by Subchapter C, Chapter 406 of the Texas Government Code and Title 1, Chapter 87 (PDF) of the Texas Administrative Code. Please note that Chapter 87 has been revised effective August 19, 2018.

What is a Notary Signing Agent?

A Notary Signing Agent is a Notary who has been trained to handle loan documents. Lenders and title companies hire Signing Agents as independent contractors to assist in the last step of the loan process. What do Notary Signing Agents do? The responsibilities of a Notary Signing Agent generally include printing loan documents, meeting the signer and notarizing their signature, and quickly returning the documents for processing. NSAs are also responsible for following any additional instructions from the lender, title company or signing service that hires them for loan closing work. For example, an NSA may be asked to fax back documents right away or use a specific mailing service to return the paperwork safely. Since Notary Signing Agents have access to private financial information about borrowers and are sent into their client's home, the mortgage finance industry requires all Signing Agents to undergo a background

screening on an annual basis. This helps prevent mortgage fraud and ensures the consumer's information is secure.

Resource: National Notary Association: What is a Notary Signing Agent?

Important Differences Between Notaries and "Notarios" - by nationalnotary.org

In Hispanic countries, Notarios Publicos are highly trained legal professionals akin to attorneys who provide legal advice and draft legal documents.

In the United States, however, Notaries are state-commissioned officials with narrow witnessing duties and much less discretion. Many unethical individuals exploit the confusion over these different roles to take advantage of unsuspecting immigrants.

For six decades, the National Notary Association has worked to educate Notaries, government officials and the general public about Notario abuse.

The NNA's handout "What Is A Notary Public" explains the lawful role of U.S. Notaries and how it differs from that of Notarios.

Source: https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/about-notaries/notaries-and-notarios