The House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Thursday that would legalize remote notarizations during the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill now heads to Gov. Charlie Baker for his signature.

Under the bill, notaries public in Massachusetts would be permitted to perform “an acknowledgement, affirmation or other notarial act” through real-time videoconference rather than an in-person transaction for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. Principals and notaries public involved in the transactions must be located in Massachusetts, and principals must also provide evidence like a driver’s license during the video conference and transmitted separately afterwards to confirm their identities.

In the case of real estate sales and mortgages, once the notary receives a copy of the executed agreement, the principals and the notary must then hold a second videoconference to review the document. An element of the bill also allows notaries flexibility to authenticate the document on a different day from when the principals sign it.

The provisions, aimed at allowing the key business transactions like home sales to continue without violating social-distancing practices, would last until three days after Baker repeals his state of emergency declaration.

Because of the legislature’s delay in crafting remote notarization rules, many real estate closings are still taking place in-person, with real estate agents telling stories of passing papers back and forth between cars parked next to one another and other measures intended to ensure a minimum of contact between all parties.