Missourians will now be able to use 21st Century technology to complete notarization-required documents. HB-1655, sponsored by Rep. Hannah Kelly of Mountain Grove will become effective on August 28, 2020 and will make it possible for legal documents to be not only electronically signed, but also electronically notarized. The new law provides a means by which a Notary Public can notarize electronically signed documents and by which a Notary can electronically notarize documents.

The law requires new Notaries to take a course and pass a test for the basic traditional paper notarial acts. There is a separate commission with additional requirements, education and testing if a Notary wishes to be qualified and commissioned for electronic notarial acts.

The new law specifically states that it does not invalidate notary commissions that have already been issued and expire after August 28, 2020. However, when those commissions expire, those notaries will have to meet the requirements under the new law in order to be re-commissioned. Further, if existing notaries wish to be able to perform electronic notarial acts, they must complete the requirements under the new law and receive a separate commission for such acts.

CLICK HERE to pull up, read, save and/or print out a copy of the new law.

Due to the shut-down of state government from March 23, 2020 to May 4, 2020, the MREC has extended the license expiration dates for Missouri brokers to August 31, 2020 and for salespersons to October 31, 2020. Brokers must complete the required continuing education and have renewed their licenses by the close of business on August 31, 2020 in order to continue practicing on or after September 1, 2020 and salespersons must have completed the required continuing education and have renewed their licenses by the close of business on October 31, 2020 in order to continue practicing on or after November 1, 2020.

Broker license renewal notices were emailed to all brokers that had completed their CE and for which the MREC had email addresses on July 1, 2020. Paper renewal notices were mailed to all other brokers on July 15, 2020. If you are a broker and have not yet received your renewal notice, you need to go to the MREC's Website and request a duplicate renewal notice. The MREC's Website address is: https://pr.mo.gov/realestate.asp.

Salesperson renewal notices will be emailed to all Missouri salespersons for whom the MREC has email addresses and who have completed the required continuing education on August 1, 2020. All others will be mailed on August 15, 2020.

If you changed your name or home or business address since the last license renewal, you must notify the MREC of the change within 10 days from the effective date. Failure to do so could mean that you won't receive your renewal notice because it will go to your former address. You can submit a change of address online by completing and submitting the form that can be found on the MREC's Website.

MAREP

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