New York’s electronic-notarization statute defines communication technology with some precision. Under Executive Law §135-c and 19 NYCRR §182.2, it is an electronic device or process that allows the notary and the remotely located individual to communicate simultaneously by sight and sound, and that can also facilitate communication for individuals with certain impairments when needed.
This term matters because remote or electronic notarization is not satisfied by email, text messages, or delayed video clips. The communication must be live, simultaneous, and robust enough to support personal appearance in the electronic setting. That technology is part of what lets New York treat an electronic appearance as a legally sufficient appearance when all other statutory requirements are met.
Practical note: “Communication technology” describes the channel, not the notarial act itself. The act is the electronic notarial act; the technology is the tool used to carry it out.
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