Tennessee § 8-16-112 - Scope of authority — Powers — Electronic signature.

§ 8-16-112. Scope of authority — Powers — Electronic signature.

A Tennessee notary public is authorized to act in any county in the state and has the power to acknowledge signatures upon personal knowledge or satisfactory proof, to administer oaths, to take depositions, to qualify parties to bills in chancery, and to take affidavits, in all cases. Furthermore, in all such cases the notary public's seal shall be affixed and the notary public shall sign such documents in ink by the notary's own hand unless otherwise provided by law. The requirement of a notary public's signature in ink or by the notary's hand and a seal is satisfied if an electronic signature or a digitized image of a wet signature of the person authorized to perform that act, and all other information required to be included, is attached to or logically associated with the document or signature. A physical or electronic image of a stamp, impression, or seal need not accompany an electronic signature. Acts 1949, ch. 254, § 4; C. Supp. 1950, § 5914.4; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 36; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 8-1613; T.C.A. § 8-16-202 ; Acts 2004, ch. 854, §§ 8, 18; 2018, ch. 931, § 3. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2004, ch. 854, § 17 provided that after July 1, 2004, all references contained in the Tennessee Code Annotated to “notary at large” or “notary public at large” shall be deemed references to “notary public for the state of Tennessee”. Amendments. The 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, added (b). Effective Dates. Acts 2018, ch. 931, § 5. July 1, 2019; provided that for administrative and rulemaking purposes, the act took effect May 15, 2018. Cross-References. Affirmation of statements before notary or other persons, § 2-10-104 . Textbooks. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 1 Tenn. Juris., Acknowledgments, § 9.