Montgomery County, PA

What is it?

 

E-Recording is an efficient and cost-effective way to put land documents on the record.  It allows you to record documents same or next day without ever leaving your office.

 

At the present time Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds is offering two e-recording options:

 

RecordFusion

 

You will need:

1. A personal computer.
2. A scanner that can scan multi-page (preferred) or single-page .tif files (200 dpi recommended).
3. Internet Explorer version 6 or higher with JavaScript enabled.
4. The ability to easily access the scanned files from computer being used for e-recording.
5. An email address that can accept returned documents with receipts.

Recording fees, license fees, and transactions fees, are paid via an ACH or Escrow account set up by the County. 

Recordfusion submissions are done directly through the County’s Public Access Site:  There is no annual license or support fee.  The transaction fee is $4.00 per packet.  

 

Create a New User via the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds Public Access Site.  Then set up either an ACH Account or an Escrow Account through Cathy Stemple at 610 278 3829.

 

Contact Joy Johnson, Vice President – Product Development at 1 877 338 7166

 

Simplifile

 

You will need:

1. A personal computer.
2. A Twain compatible scanner.
3. Internet Explorer version 5.5 or greater.
4. An internet connection, i.e. T1, T3, DSL, Cable.
   
   Recording fees, license fees, and transactions fees, are paid by Electronic Funds Transfer. During registration you provide Simplifile with the routing and account numbers for one or more ACH (Automatic Clearing House) accounts for the electronic funds transfer. Simplifile will automatically deduct fees from the designated accounts.

Simplifile clients pay an annual license and support fee and a transaction fee for each document recorded. The annual license and support fee is $395 the first year (and $345 per year thereafter). The transaction fee is $5.00 per document.  

 

Contact Molly Terry, Regional Sales Director at 800 460 5657.

 

The Portal

A third option for electronic submission may be on the horizon.  With the multi-state e-Recording Portal currently in use in Monmouth County, New Jersey, electronic documents may be submitted through the Portal to any member county using any e-recording system the submitter chooses.  Whatever recording software a county is using, the Portal translates the submission into the digital data and images compatible with that county’s recording system.

 

This option is currently being tested in Chester County.  Once this initial phase is over and the analysis completed, Montgomery County will decide whether to join this initiative. 

 

E-Notarization

 

What is it?

 

In January 2007, the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds Office became an official site for the Commonwealth’s e-Notarization Initiative.  Just as e-Recording is a technological step forward in the process of electronic document creation and recording, e-Notarization speeds this electronic workflow and, at the same time, provides the ultimate level of document security.  Unlike a paper document, an electronically notarized and e-recorded document cannot be tampered with or altered without evidence of the alteration in the electronic audit trail.

 

How do I become an e-Notary?

 

To become an e-Notary, a commissioned notary must receive approval from the PA Dept. of State to obtain an Electronic Notary Seal (ENS).  There are no additional educational or bond requirements for the e-Notary.  But as a bonded public official, the e-Notary bears the same responsibility as a regular notary public to verify valid proof of identity of the subscriber before acknowledging a document on that subscriber’s behalf. 

 

Notaries public play a vital role in commerce and are on the front lines of deterring document fraud and identity theft.  E-Notaries extend their mission into the electronic forum.

 

For more information about becoming an e-Notary in Pennsylvania go to:  http://www.dos.state.pa.us/notaries.