E-notaries in Estonia

New: notarial deeds at your own computer

The Estonian Chamber of Notaries has for some time been busy enabling remote notarial services.  Until now, remote authentication has been used in Estonian embassies in Brussels, Stockholm, and Riga. Further developments were in the pipeline, but due to the restrictions in the COVID19-Crisis the Estonian Ministry of Justice in cooperation with notaries has speeded up their implementation. This means that this vital public service is now guaranteed also to work in extraordinary times.

Since April 2020 Estonian notaries can perform all notarial acts by remote authentication. The only exceptions are still the acts of marriage and divorce. The new service was accepted at once; already in the first month as much as 10% of all notarial acts were done by remote authentication.

A notarial act performed by remote authentication is like a regular notarial act performed in a notary’s office. The difference is that the notary and the participants are not in the same room.

The client must have and use a computer with a webcam,  a microphone, and an Estonian ID card or e-residence-card with a card reader or Mobile ID for digital signing. The internet connection speed must enable video calls.

The notarial appointment and the transaction must be agreed with the notary in advance. At the agreed time the client will log in at www.notar.ee and will be identified by the Estonian identification service provider Veriff. The number of participants in the transaction is not restricted.

Further communication between the notary and the participants happens over a video transfer. Finally, the documents will be signed digitally by the clients and the notary.

Remote authentication can be arranged at every notary’s office. For the client this is only an option but no obligation. This means that everyone can still request a meeting at a notary’s office. The remote transaction can be terminated immediately in the case of the slightest doubt or technical failure. Reasons for termination might be, for example, poor internet connection or if doubts arise about someone’s identity or intentions.

For more detailed information about remote authentication please visit the website of the Estonian Chamber of Notaries www.notar.ee.

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