Conducting an IPEN Closing
How to Conduct an IPEN Closing (updated 2025)
IPEN Closings are In-Person Electronic Notarizations. This means that you, as
the notary, will physically be in the same vicinity at an agreed-upon location
with your signer(s).
As a notary, you will have the responsibility of bringing a
tablet or a laptop with a minimum of a 10" screen, providing your own
hotspot or connecting to local WiFi, and doing your due diligence to ensure you
are confirming the identity of the signer(s) in front of you.
You are not responsible for setting up or making edits to
the information on the closing documents. If there is an issue with information
that may need to be altered, please contact the lender in charge of setting up
the package.
Step 1)
Navigate to your Dashboard.
Your Dashboard will contain any and all packages that have
been assigned to you.
Step 2)
Click the blue (or red, if you're beginning the signing
shortly after the agreed upon closing time) bar to open up package
details.
As the notary, you are able to look ahead at all of the
documents that will be signed during the closing.
We encourage you to double-check that all of the information concerning the
property address, the signer name, date and time is all correct.
Step 3)
Scroll down to the bottom of the pop-up window and click
ESign when you and your signer are ready to begin signing.
Step 4)
The next screen will allow the notary to review their
information and ensure they have selected the correct commission. Select Save
and Continue to move forward.
Step 5)
The notary is now required to construct a signature either
by using their mouse or the Mobile feature, allowing them to create a signature
using their mobile device.
Select Save & Continue to move forward.
Step 6)
The notary will now turn the device over to the signer so
that they can double-check that their information is accurate.
Select Save & Continue to move forward in the identity
verification process.
Step 7)
The notary will now choose the ID type that the signer has
provided as proof of identification.
Once the notary clicks into "ID Type," a long list
will come up of various types of ID, shown in the second image below.
After selecting the ID Type, the document number and
expiration must be submitted before the notary can select Save & Continue
to move forward.
Step 8)
The notary will now direct the signer to review the
disclosure agreement, scroll to the bottom and select "I agree" to
move forward.
Turn the tablet or laptop towards the Signer and allow them
to read through the eDisclosure consent agreement.
Ideally, we would like the signer to click the box at the
bottom to accept and then click "Save & Continue." If the
signer does not accept the eDisclosure agreement, you will need to click the
second option of "I'd rather not eSign." If this option is chosen,
the closing comes to a stop, as the signer would not agree to eSign, and
therefore the closing will have to be flipped to a traditional closing and be
completed on pen and paper.
As long as the signer accepts the agreement, you may select
Save & Continue to move forward.
Step 9)
The signer will now apply a signature and their initials. If
a mistake is made or they want to redo either of these, simply select
"erase" and try again. Once the signer is happy with their signature
and initials, select Save & Continue to move forward.
Step 9A)
The Signer can also utilize our mobile signature, which will
allow them to write on their phone with their finger or a stylus for a
potentially nicer signature.
Note: This requires the signer to provide their phone number
to receive a text link.
Click on "Mobile" and then click into the gray box to bring up the
prompt to input a phone number.
Once the phone number has been submitted, the signer will
receive a text message with a link.
Rotate the phone so that you can use your finger or a stylus to create a
signature and initials.
You may utilize the bottom left eraser if there are any
mistakes.
Once the signature is completed, click the bottom right to
confirm.
Once you have selected submit on each of these, you will be brought back to one
final review screen.
Click Submit.
The browser window will automatically update to reflect the signature and
initials.
Step 10)
The notary will take the device back from the signer.
It is now time to enter the Signing Room.
Select "Start Signing Session" to enter and begin
eSigning.
Step 11)
The notary and signer are both in the Signing Room now. In
order to begin, the control must be passed to the signer, from the notary. On
the notary's window (bottom,) the bottom right icon will allow the notary to
pass/transfer control.
Once the icon is selected, the names available to transfer
control to will be listed in blue. If there are multiple signers, this will be
important to take note of and ensure the notary selects the correct name.
The signer will now receive a message and is able to click "Continue"
to begin eSigning.
Step 12)
Now we are viewing the Closing Room.
On the left-hand side, you will see thumbnails of each page
in the document. You and the signer are welcome to review each page of the
package, or you may utilize our yellow tag on the bottom right of the screen
that reads "sign" to skip down to each actionable signing
coordinate.
The signer will also be able to utilize the tools at the top
of the screen to zoom in/out or change the height and width of the pages being
viewed.
Step 13)
Once the signer clicks "Click Here to Sign," the
signature will be applied like so, in the image below. Clicking the yellow
"Next' tag will bring the signer to the next signing coordinate.
There is a tracker on the top left that indicates how many
documents will need to be signed, and the number will go up as each signature
is applied until signing is completed.
Step 14)
Once the Signer has completed all of their signature
coordinates, a message will appear for both parties indicating it is now the
notary's turn to notarize their documents. As the notary, click
"Continue" to begin notarizations.
Step 15)
The notary will continue on in the same manner, utilizing
the yellow "Next" tags, which will bring them to the next actionable
signing coordinate.
The notary signature will also include a stamp, as seen
below.
Step 16)
Now that the signing is complete, the Notary will want to
thank the Signer for coming out to the agreed upon location and send the signer
on their way.
Click "Continue" to complete the package closing
and move on to the notary journal.
Step 17)
Your package is now closed.
If there are any comments that need to be made about this
closing, you will use this time and space to input those.
Click Finish.
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