Quick answer. Two questions sort almost every signing: how the documents are signed (all paper, a mix, or all electronic) and where the notary is (same room or on video). A mix is a hybrid eClosing. All electronic is a full eClosing. The notarization is ink, RIN, IPEN or RON depending on whether the notarized pages are paper or electronic and whether you're in the room.
Which closing type is this?
Answer the questions to see the closing type.
The answer describes the signing; it doesn't approve it. Whether a lender offers a closing type, whether the county records the result electronically and whether you may perform the notarization all depend on the lender, the title or settlement company and state law. For your own state's remote rules, see remote notarization status by state.
The closing types in one table
| Closing type | How documents are signed | Notarization | Promissory note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional | All paper, ink | Paper, in person | Paper |
| Hybrid eClosing | Some electronic, some paper | Paper (ink or RIN) or electronic (IPEN or RON), page by page | Paper or electronic |
| Full eClosing | All electronic | IPEN or RON | Electronic (eNote) |
What the terms mean
- eClosing: Fannie Mae's glossary says an eClosing takes place when some or all of the closing documents are signed electronically.
- Hybrid eClosing: Freddie Mac's FAQ describes a hybrid as one where some documents are signed electronically and some are wet signed. MISMO describes certain documents printed and signed on paper and others signed electronically. Which pages are paper varies. Fannie Mae's fact sheet describes a hybrid in which key documents such as the note and security instrument may be printed and wet-signed. Its hybrid eClosing guide describes hybrids that start with an eNote. Ask which pages are in your set.
- eNote and eMortgage: an eNote is an electronic promissory note. Fannie Mae says an eClosing results in an eMortgage only if the note is signed electronically. Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac require lender approval to sell eNotes.
- IPEN: in-person electronic notarization. Fannie Mae describes electronically signed documents with the seal applied electronically and the signer and notary in the same place.
- RON: remote online notarization. Fannie Mae describes two-way audio-video between a signer and notary in different places, with added security such as tamper sealing and multi-factor authentication. Freddie Mac's FAQ (updated April 2025) says it permits RON in 46 states, DC and Guam, listed in its Exhibit 48.
- RIN: remote ink-signed notarization. Paper documents signed over two-way audio-video, with the seal applied by hand. Freddie Mac permits it subject to its RIN requirements. Not every state allows it; see RIN vs RON.
For borrowers, the plain-language version is in hybrid and e-closings explained. Counting a refinance's rescission days is in the right-to-cancel calculator.
Sources
- Fannie Mae: eMortgages Glossary
- Fannie Mae: eClosing and eMortgage Fact Sheet
- Fannie Mae: Seamless hybrid eClosings (2025)
- Freddie Mac: Electronic Loan Documents FAQ (updated April 15, 2025)
- Freddie Mac: eMortgages
- MISMO: Digital Mortgage Education
General information for signing agents, checked November 2026 against the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and MISMO pages above. Not legal advice, and not affiliated with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, MISMO or any lender. We don't name or rate signing platforms. The checker runs in your browser, and nothing you choose is sent or saved.
Common questions
What's the difference between a hybrid closing and a full eClosing?
In a hybrid eClosing, some documents are signed electronically and some are printed and signed in ink. In a full eClosing, all of the closing documents are signed electronically. Freddie Mac and MISMO both describe the hybrid as that mix.
Does an eClosing always mean an eNote?
No. Fannie Mae's glossary says an eClosing results in an eMortgage only if the promissory note is signed electronically. A closing can be partly electronic while the note stays on paper.
Is IPEN the same as RON?
No. Both use electronic documents and an electronic seal. In IPEN the signer and notary are in the same room; in RON they are in different places on two-way audio-video, with extra identity checks, and the notary needs remote authorization from their own state.
Who decides which closing type I'm doing?
The lender, the title or settlement company and the law of the state involved. Your signing order and instructions tell you. If they don't, ask before the appointment rather than guess.
Do I still do scanbacks in an eClosing?
Electronic documents are already on the platform, so there's usually nothing to scan. Scanbacks are for paper pages, and only when the signing order asks for them.