Privacy Policy

USA Notary Services, LLC ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Graham-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and other applicable privacy regulations. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use the SharpNote digital signing platform.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when registering for services, completing a notarization, or contacting support. This includes:

• Full name
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Government-issued identification details
• Notarized documents and digital signatures
• Payment or billing information (where applicable)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information collected to:

• Provide remote online notarization services
• Verify user identity and fulfill legal requirements
• Maintain audit trails and transaction logs
• Respond to inquiries and customer service requests
• Comply with legal obligations and industry standards

3. Sharing of Information

We do not share your personal information with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes. We may share your information with:

• Authorized notaries for the purpose of completing a signing
• Service providers assisting with ID verification and secure document handling
• Regulatory authorities when legally required

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes encryption, two-factor authentication, secure video sessions, and secure data centers.

5. Data Retention

We retain notarization session videos and audit trails for a minimum of 10 years as required by law. ID verification records are retained for up to 30 days unless otherwise mandated by applicable regulations.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information where permitted by law. You may also request limitations on how your data is used.

7. Third-Party Services

Our platform may use third-party providers for services such as video conferencing, document storage, and identity verification. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date will be updated accordingly. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us at:

USA Notary Services, LLC
11357 Nuckols Road, Suite 1087
Glen Allen, Virginia 23005
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (804) 767-7500

Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: July 15, 2025
Applies To: USA Notary Services, LLC (“USA Notary”), including its platform, SharpNote

These Terms and Conditions ("Agreement") govern your access to and use of USA Notary’s remote online notarization services and the SharpNote digital platform. By accessing our services or platform, you agree to be legally bound by these terms.

1. Definitions

• “We,” “Us,” “Our” refers to USA Notary Services, LLC and its software platform, SharpNote.
• “User” refers to any individual, entity, notary, or business accessing or using our services.
• “Signer” refers to an individual who appears before a notary to sign documents.
• “Notary” refers to a commissioned notary public authorized to perform remote online notarizations.
• “RON” refers to Remote Online Notarization, as defined by state law.

2. Scope of Services

USA Notary provides a technology platform that allows notaries to perform remote online notarizations in compliance with state and federal laws. The SharpNote platform facilitates:

• Identity verification of signers
• Secure document uploads and tagging
• Real-time video conferencing between signers and notaries
• Capture and archival of session recordings
• Application of compliant electronic signatures and notarial seals
• Generation of audit trails and downloadable certificates

We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice or representation.

3. Eligibility

• Be at least 18 years old
• Use our platform for lawful purposes only
• Have the legal capacity to enter into this Agreement
• Have a valid government-issued photo ID (if acting as a signer)

4. User Responsibilities

• Provide accurate and truthful information
• Maintain confidentiality of any login credentials or access tokens
• Not impersonate another person or provide false documentation
• Cooperate during live notarial sessions, including presenting ID on camera
• Use our platform only in jurisdictions where remote notarization is authorized

Users who violate these terms may have their access revoked without notice.

5. Identity Verification

Our platform uses third-party services to verify identity, which may include:

• Government-issued photo ID upload
• Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA)
• Facial recognition matching
• Session recording with live ID presentation

ID verification is mandatory and must be completed prior to notarization.

6. Session Recording and Consent

By using our services, you consent to:

• Being recorded via audio and video during any notarization session
• Having that recording stored securely for 10 years, per regulatory requirements
• Use of your likeness and voice for compliance and audit purposes only

Recordings are not used for marketing or third-party purposes.

7. Data Retention and Storage

• Session recordings for a minimum of 10 years
• ID images and KBA data for 30 days
• Electronic audit trails, digital certificates, and logs in compliance with MISMO and state law

Data is encrypted and stored securely. You can request access to your records by contacting us.

8. Limitations of Liability

We provide access to our platform on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We are not liable for:

• Delays or disruptions caused by internet service or third-party platforms
• Errors or omissions in uploaded documents
• Denial of notarization due to insufficient ID or user non-compliance
• Unauthorized access resulting from user negligence

Our total liability under this agreement shall not exceed the fees paid for services rendered, if any.

9. Notary Independence

• Ensuring their commission is valid in their state
• Verifying ID and legal capacity of signers
• Rejecting notarizations when necessary
• Affixing accurate digital seals and maintaining notarial integrity

We do not control or influence notary judgment or decision-making.

10. Payment and Refund Policy

• Fees are charged per notarization session or subscription.
• Fees are non-refundable once a notarization session starts.
• Billing is conducted through authorized third-party processors.
• Requests for fee disputes must be submitted within 7 days of the transaction.

11. Acceptable Use

• Use the platform only for lawful, non-fraudulent activity.
• Do not tamper with or reverse-engineer our code or encryption.
• Do not record or distribute sessions without permission.
• Do not harass or abuse our staff or notaries.

Violations may result in legal action and termination of access.

12. Modifications

We reserve the right to update these terms at any time. When updates are made, the “Effective Date” will be revised, and a notice may be posted on our website. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

13. Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. All disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Henrico County, VA, unless preempted by federal law.

14. Contact Information

📧 [email protected]
📞 (804) 767-7500
📬 USA Notary Services, LLC
11357 Nuckols Road, Suite 1087
Glen Allen, VA 23005

Security & Compliance Statement

Effective Date: July 15, 2025
Applies To: USA Notary Services, LLC and the SharpNote Digital Signing Platform

USA Notary Services, LLC (“USA Notary”) and its SaaS platform, SharpNote, are designed to exceed the security, privacy, and industry-specific compliance requirements that govern Remote Online Notarization (RON) in the United States. This Security & Compliance Statement summarizes the technical, administrative, and legal controls we maintain to safeguard user data and ensure the integrity of every notarization.

1. Regulatory & Industry Frameworks

Framework / Standard	Our Alignment
NIST SP 800-53 / 800-63	Encryption, identity proofing, and access controls follow NIST guidance.
MISMO® RON Standards	Full adherence to MISMO audio/video recording, credential analysis, and audit trail requirements.
ESIGN & UETA	Electronic signatures, records, and retention meet federal and state statutes.
SOC 2 (Type 2) Controls	Core hosting providers maintain SOC 2 Type 2 certifications.
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)	Privacy, data sharing, and safeguards comply with GLBA provisions.
State RON Statutes (e.g., VA, TX, FL)	Platform features mirror statutory mandates for multistate compliance.

2. Data Protection & Encryption

Control	Implementation
Encryption In Transit	TLS 1.2+ enforced for all web, API, and mobile traffic.
Encryption At Rest	AES-256 encryption for databases, file storage, and backups.
Tokenized Access Links	One-time, expiring tokens for ID verification and session entry.
Key Management	Managed KMS with key rotation and strict least-privilege policies.
Separation of Environments	Production, staging, and development systems are logically isolated.
Vulnerability Scanning & Penetration Testing	Quarterly external scans and annual third-party pentests.

3. Identity Verification & Credential Management

• Credential Analysis: Government-issued IDs are validated via ISO/IEC 30107-3 compliant analyses.
• Biometric Matching: Optional facial-recognition match confirms signer likeness.
• KBA: Knowledge-Based Authentication questions delivered through a GLBA-compliant provider.
• Digital Certificates:
  • Signers receive a one-time, 30-day X.509 certificate for document signing.
  • Notaries’ IdenTrust certificates are monitored; expiration triggers account suspension and automated notifications.

4. Session Recording & Audit Trails

Component	Retention	Storage Location
Audio/Video Recordings	10 years	Encrypted, U.S.-based cloud object storage
Audit Log (events & hashes)	10 years	Immutable ledger (WORM) storage
ID Verification Images & Data	30 days	Encrypted file store with automated purge

No document content is captured in the recording video feed; only signer and notary video/audio streams are retained.

5. Access Controls & Monitoring

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Mandatory for all notaries and admin users.
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Least-privilege model for database, application, and support staff.
• Automated Credential Expiry Checks: Expired commissions, E&O, or certificates immediately lock notary scheduling access until resolved.
• Real-Time Alerts: Security events (failed logins, privilege escalations, data-export attempts) trigger 24/7 monitoring alerts.

6. Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

Control	Objective
Daily Encrypted Backups	Restore critical data within 4 hours (RTO).
Geo-Redundant Storage	S3 cross-region replication for recordings and audit logs.
Quarterly DR Drills	Validate infrastructure recovery and failover.

7. Privacy & Data Minimization

We collect only the minimum data necessary for legal compliance.

Personal data is never sold or used for marketing.

All vendors sign data-processing agreements binding them to confidentiality and GLBA-equivalent safeguards.

8. Incident Response

• 24/7 Security Operations: Continuous log monitoring and anomaly detection.
• Response Time Objective: Triage within 1 hour of critical alert.
• User Notification: Affected users and regulators are notified within required statutory timeframes if a breach involving personal data occurs.

9. Contact & Reporting

Questions about our security program or suspected vulnerabilities may be directed to:

Security & Compliance Team
📧 [email protected]
📞 (804) 767-7500

USA Notary is committed to ongoing security improvements and welcomes responsible disclosure. We publish summary audit reports upon request under appropriate NDA.

Last updated: July 15, 2025