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Utah RULONA Revisions
In Case You Missed It... Utah Revises Its RULONA, Mandates (Physical) Journal UsePublished June 1, 2026
The Beehive State's 2026 State Legislature has revised its Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA). The new law was signed by Governor Spencer Cox on March 17, 2026, and effective May 6, 2026.
The enacting legislation, SB 139, is provided in its entirety on ASN's website, www.asnnotary.org. Log in with your ASN ID number and password; from your Control Panel select "State Law Updates," then the CLICK HERE option, then scroll to the write-up or search the webpage for "SB 139."
The bill:
• adds important new definitions to Utah's RULONA and modifies some others;
• clarifies the image/form of identification that an individual appearing for a remote notarial act must transmit to the remote notary in order to provide satisfactory evidence of identification;
• clarifies that a remote notary shall create an "electronic" recording of each remote notarization performed and strikes the former wording requiring an "audio and video recording";
• significantly amends existing law's journal provisions, particularly with respect to journal records of remote notarial acts;
• retains law language making use of a permanently bound journal permissive (not mandatory) for CURRENTLY commissioned notaries (those commissioned as of May 6, 2026). Clarifies that if a notary (under any circumstances) keeps a permanently bound journal, then the notary shall retain the journal for 10 years after the day on which the notary records the last notarial act in the journal, regardless of whether the notary ceases to be a notary. Additionally requires that following the 10-year retention period, a notary shall destroy their permanently bound journal by shredding or another means of destruction that renders all information in the journal illegible;
• requires notaries renewing their commission or obtaining a new one on or after May 6, 2026 to use and securely keep a physical journal in which they will record each notarial act (except those performed by means of authorized remote notarization technology) that the notary performs;
• strikes current law's reference to chronological, permanently bound official journal records as "a public record." Retains the language requiring the notary to provide for lawful inspection of journal records;
• requires a remote notary to maintain an electronic journal and each recording of a remote notarization for 10 years after the day that the notary records the last notarial act in the journal, regardless of whether the notary ceases to be a notary. Also requires that a remote notary (or any designated custodian under RULONA's Subsection 46-1-15(2)(b)(i)) maintains an electronic journal and any electronic recording of a remote notarial act for 10 years after the day that the notary records the last notarial act in the journal, regardless of whether the notary ceases to be a notary. Requires that upon the end of the 10-year retention period the notary shall destroy or ensure that the custodian erases, overwrites, or otherwise destroys the electronic journal as well as any remote notarization electronic recordings, including all backups, by means that render all the data irretrievable;
• clarifies that a notary employed by an attorney or law firm is not required to keep a journal of notarial acts performed by the notary in the course and scope of the notary's employment with the attorney or law firm. Further provides that a journal or other record of a notarial act performed by an attorney or law firm's employee notary is the property of the attorney or law firm and not subject to disclosure or inspection by the Lieutenant Governor;
• clarifies that certain provisions of SB 139 do not require an attorney or law firm to take any action that would constitute a violation of attorney-client privilege;
• makes various technical amendments.
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