source:
  type: guide
  id: fnma-sel-a2-4.1-04
  authority: Fannie Mae Selling Guide A2-4.1-04 — Notarization Standards
  description: Fannie Mae Selling Guide A2-4.1-04 — Notarization Standards.
  coverage_tier: operative
obligations:
- id: fnma-sel-a2-4.1-04-full
  canonical_id: fnma-sel-a2-4.1-04-full
  section: Fannie Mae Selling Guide A2-4.1-04 — Notarization Standards
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - fnma
  - selling-guide
  - corpus-expansion
  - tier-operative
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: Fannie Mae Selling Guide A2-4.1-04 — Notarization Standards
    source_class: fnma-guide
    source_url: https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/media/document/pdf/selling-guide
    snapshot_id: 5f7b8b79da595d76
    fetched_at: '2026-05-25T14:09:57Z'
    content_hash: sha256:98cf85a02861bbe84914a0e339b327c8fc131869a8a573882007bbeea60c5701
    paragraph_quote: 'A2-4.1-04, Notarization Standards (06/02/2021) Introduction
      This topic contains information on notarization standards, including: Standards
      for Notarization International Notarization and Apostille Process Law of Location
      of the Mortgaged Property Requirements in the Selling Guide or Servicing Guide
      Audio-visual Aided Remote Ink-Signed Notarization Minimum Standards for Audio-visual
      Methods Standards for Notarization Certain loan documents and instruments may
      require notarization under applicable laws to allow for either recognition,
      enforcement, or recordation of the loan document or instrument. Except as otherwise
      permitted in this Guide, and subject to all applicable legal requirements imposed
      by the state where the real property is located, all loan documents and instruments
      must be notarized in accordance with and legally valid under the laws and regulations
      of the state in which the notarization is performed at the time it was performed
      in order to be eligible for sale to Fannie Mae. In certain situations, federal
      laws and regulations permit duly authorized oﬃcials of the U.S. Department of
      State and the U.S. Department of Defense to eﬀect notarial acts in the performance
      of their duties. Subject to any applicable legal requirements imposed by the
      state where the real property is located, such notarization by these authorized
      oﬃcials is eligible on the same basis as that performed in accordance with state
      law. International Notarization and Apostille Process Subject to any applicable
      legal requirements imposed by the state where the real property is located,
      any international notarization not performed by a duly authorized oﬃcial of
      the U.S. is eligible provided it is in accordance with and legally valid under
      the laws and regulations of the foreign jurisdiction in which the notarization
      is performed at the time it was performed, or contains an apostille certiﬁcation
      from a competent authority, as recognized by the U.S. Department of State. Law
      of Location of the Mortgaged Property If the law of the state where the real
      property is located requires notarization, such notarization must comply with
      such state’s laws and regulations, or qualify for recognition under such state’s
      laws. Published May 6, 2026 82 Requirements in the Selling Guide or Servicing
      Guide In order for a loan to be eligible for sale to Fannie Mae and where notarization
      is not explicitly required by applicable law, but only by a requirement in the
      Selling Guide or Servicing Guide, all loan documents and instruments must have
      notarization eﬀected by any such notarial method as permitted or recognized
      as valid by the law of the state where the real property is located, or federal
      law or the law of the state where the notary is registered and acting under
      applicable notarial authority and requirements of such jurisdiction. Note: Nothing
      in this topic is meant to supersede the existing policies in this Guide with
      respect to electronic notarization and remote online notarization. See A2-4.1-03,
      Electronic Records, Signatures, and Transactions for additional information.
      Audio-visual Aided Remote Ink-Signed Notarization A remote ink-signed notarization
      (RIN) is an audio-visual aided ink-signed method of notarization of paper documents,
      where the borrower authentication and signature witnessing are accomplished
      by: the notary and principal’s use of real-time audio-visual conferencing technology,
      the signatures are ink-signed, and the notarial seal is applied manually to
      the applicable documents. Lenders may allow for the use of real-time audio-video
      technology to satisfy the physical presence requirements, or where there are
      no physical presence requirements, under applicable law for notarial acts. The
      following requirements apply to remote ink-signed notarization: The notarization
      has been expressly authorized under applicable law. The notarization is performed
      in accordance with and is legally valid under the laws and regulations of the
      state in which the notarization is performed, at the time it was performed.
      The borrower or person whose signature is being notarized and the notary are
      physically located in the state where the notarial act is performed. The audio-visual
      method used for the remote ink-signed notarization must meet the minimum standards
      described below. All loans delivered to Fannie Mae that have been closed using
      audio-visual aided ink-signed notarization must be delivered with special feature
      code (SFC) 920 in addition to any other special feature codes that may apply.
      Published May 6, 2026 83 Minimum Standards for Audio-visual Methods The audio-visual
      method used for RIN must include the following minimum standards. Criteria Minimum
      Standards Documentation or authentication It must include a review of • two
      forms of government-issued photo ID that have a signature via two-way audio-video
      technology and capture of such photo ID[s] via a photocopy or other electronic
      image; or • two-factor identity authentication, using a combination of at least
      two of the following factors: ⚬ remote presentation of a government-issued photo
      ID that has a signature, ⚬ credential analysis, or ⚬ identity-prooﬁng (that
      is, knowledge-based authentication). System measures The system must • prevent
      interference with authenticity, integrity, and security of the portions of the
      notarial ceremony that are conducted via the audio-video technology, and • protect
      the electronic record and backup record from unauthorized use. Recording capability
      It must have the ability to record the portion of the notarial ceremony conducted
      via the audio-video technology with storage for the minimum period required
      by applicable law, or if no period is speciﬁed in the applicable law, for 10
      years. Additional Requirements: The lender must maintain, or cause to be retained,
      the recording of the portions of the notarial ceremony conducted via the audio-video
      technology for the greater of 10 years or the minimum period required by applicable
      law, in accordance with the requirements above. The mortgage loan may not be
      a Texas Section 50(a)(6) loan. If the loan document is required to be recorded,
      then the county recorder in the state and county where the property is located
      must accept the document for recording. If the document is a security instrument
      or an amendment to a security instrument, the audio-visual aided remote ink-signed
      notarization must comply with the title requirements in B7-2-04, Special Title
      Insurance Coverage Considerations and the title insurance company may not take
      any exception for Published May 6, 2026 84 the audio-visual aided remote ink-signed
      notarization. All selling representations and warranties continue to apply,
      including those related to clear title and ﬁrst lien enforceability, compliance
      with laws and responsible lending practices, and requirements regarding title
      insurance, including those in B7-2-04, Special Title Insurance Coverage Considerations
      Recent Related Announcements The table below provides references to recently
      issued Announcements that are related to this topic. Announcements Issue Date
      Announcement SEL-2021-05 June 02, 2021 Chapter A2-5, Fannie Mae Trade Name and
      Trademarks Introduction This chapter contains information on the license Fannie
      Mae grants to an approved lender to use and display Fannie Mae Marks, limitations
      on an approved lender’s use of Fannie Mae Marks, and termination of a lender’s
      rights to use Fannie Mae Marks.'
  judgment: false
