The Minnesota Governor passed an Executive Order allowing Remote Ink-signed Notarization (RIN) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The law allows a notary to virtually witness a signature by having the signers provide a photo ID next to their face and state their name, on a computerized audio-visual call with the notary who can communicate with the signers by sight and sound. The signing must be agreed to by the signers and the documents being signed should be acknowledged by the signers on the video recording. The signers then use pen and ink to sign the documents in front of the notary. The Notary should log the RIN event in their Notary Journal and must keep a copy of the online audio-visual signing for ten years. The ink-signed documents are then delivered to the Notary who notarizes the documents with their pen and Ink signature, applies the Notarial Stamp, and the notarial act is complete.

The documents look no different from a traditional notarization, where the signers are physically able to touch the signers. The documents are legal, and in recordable form, as usual. The law is currently in effect until March 31, 2021.