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Executive Order No. 26

Sarah S. Sheppeard & Michael Goode

 

As this is a fast moving topic, please note that this article is current as of 4/10/20. For contact information, please click here.

On April 9, 2020 the Governor of Tennessee issued an Executive Order relaxing the requirements for witnessing and notarization of documents due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Main takeaways from this act are that:

  1. The witnesses, notary and signers must be facilitated by real time audio and video so that everyone can see and hear each other (through Zoom, etc.).
  2. Everyone, including the witness and the notary, must be physically in Tennessee.
  3. There must be verification of identity and the document must state it was executed in compliance with Executive Order No. 26 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, dated April 9, 2020.
  4. There must be a memorialization of the witnessing and notarization within ten calendar days of the date of execution of the document.

The Online Notary Act can also still be used, but any of its provisions that would prohibit the above are suspended.

This Executive Order is effective from 11:59 PM Central Time April 9th until May 18, 2020 at 12:01 am central time.