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Notary Bulletin

Am I Required To Charge A Notary Fee?

By NNA Staff on July 15, 2015

NNA Hotline Tip logo

Do I have to charge someone to notarize something? I received my commission through the company I work for and I am unclear if I should be charging fees. — E.A., Woodburn, OR

In Oregon, charging is optional. Notaries are not required to charge for their Notary services, and they may charge any fee less than the statutory maximum.

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

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61 Comments

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richard.dictor@outlook.com

21 Jul 2015

The question was answered only in the context of Oregon. Can you please inform regarding California? Thanks!

National Notary Association

28 Jul 2015

Hello. CA Notaries may charge any amount up to the maximum fee amounts permitted by state law, and may also choose not to charge a fee for their services.

Cheryl K.

30 Jul 2015

How about in the State of Washington? I am commissioned and bonded through the state agency I work for. Can I charge notary fees?

National Notary Association

30 Jul 2015

Yes. If you choose to charge fees, you must conspicuously display in your place of business, or present to each customer outside of your business, an English-language schedule of fees for notarial acts. No part of the displayed notarial fee schedule may be printed in smaller than 10-point type. (WAC 308-30-020[2]). The maximum fee WA Notaries may charge is $10 per notarial act except for copying a document or record, for which the Notary may charge the actual cost. (WAC 308-30-020[1] and [3])

Shawn C.

11 Aug 2015

How about travel expenses in the State of Washington?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. A Washington Notary may charge a travel fee when traveling to perform a notarial act if: a. The Notary and the person requesting the notarial act agree upon the travel fee in advance of the travel; and b. The Notary explains to the person requesting the notarial act that the travel fee is in addition to the notarial fee and is not required by law (WAC 308-30-020[4]).

Evelyn Cavness

11 Aug 2015

What are the notary fees for the District of Columbia

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. The fees of District Notaries are (CDC 1-1213[c]): (1) Taking an acknowledgment or proof: $2 per signature; (2) Administering an oath or affirmation, including jurat, seal: $2; (3) Taking an affidavit, including jurat, seal: $2; (4) Any other notarial act: $2.

Marci S

11 Aug 2015

In AZ it looks like the max statutory fee is only $2 per signature. Is this really all I can charge? Or is there a standard fee for the service itself? I usually meet people to do notarizing which I believe means I can charge for mileage and/or some type of fee for being mobile, correct?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. Yes, $2 is the maximum per signature you may charge for notarial acts in Arizona. Regarding travel fees, When traveling to perform a notarial act, “notaries public may be paid an amount up to the amount authorized for mileage expenses and per diem subsistence for state employees as prescribed by title 38, chapter 4, article 2” (ARS41-316[B]). The Arizona Department of Administration determines this mileage fee through its General Accounting Office. For the latest authorized mileage fees, check the fee schedule online at www.gao.az.gov/travel (RM).

Jennifer AR

11 Aug 2015

How about Wisconsin?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No, you are not required to charge a fee in Wisconsin.

Leigh Hunt

11 Aug 2015

How about for New Jersey?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No, you are not required to charge a fee in New Jersey.

diane@metamedicalservices.com

11 Aug 2015

How about Texas? Do we have to charge for notarizations? Thank you.

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No, you are not required to charge a fee in Texas.

Teresa Haight

11 Aug 2015

How about New York? I didn't think I "had" to charge but that the most I could charge per notarized signature was $2. Right?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. $2 is the maximum fee permitted in New York for acknowledgments and jurats (for protests it is 75 cents per protest and 10 cents per notice of protest, not exceeding five notices) but you are not required to charge a fee.

Cheryl Gibson

11 Aug 2015

For Florida?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No.

Veronica Richards

11 Aug 2015

Are Michigan Notaries required to charge a fee? I received my commission through my employer.

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No.

Lauren

11 Aug 2015

Jumping in here, how about Indiana?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No, Indiana Notaries are not required to charge a fee.

Peggy

11 Aug 2015

Do we have to charge in Montana?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No, you do not.

Yvonne

11 Aug 2015

I can't tell if my previous question went through. I don't see it posted, but maybe there is a delay. Sorry if this is a duplicate. I was under the impression that one didn't have to charge a fee in California, but that the decision not to charge could not be arbitrary. You are not permitted to charge some individuals a fee while not charging others. Is this correct? It wasn't mentioned in the answers, so I thought I might have been misinformed. Thanks.

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. Notaries in California may charge any fee up to the statutory maximum amount, or no fee at all if they choose. From the state Notary Public Handbook: "A notary public may decide to charge no fee or an amount that is less than the maximum amount prescribed by law. The charging of a fee and the amount of the fee charged is at the discretion of the notary public or the notary public’s employer, provided it does not exceed the maximum fees."

Lela A. Bagby

11 Aug 2015

How about Indiana? Do we have to charge for notarizations, and what is the fee if we do? Thank you.

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Please see the response to Lauren above.

CcS

11 Aug 2015

Am I required to charge a notary fee in AZ?

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No.

Devonda Nelson

11 Aug 2015

Am I required to charge a notary fee for tennessee

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

Hello. No, there is no set fee schedule for Tennessee. Effective April 6, 2015, “a notary public or the notary’s employer is entitled to demand and receive reasonable fees and compensation for the notary’s services” (TCA 8-21-1201[a]).

Yvonne

11 Aug 2015

Just to clarify, a California notary can charge their best friend nothing, some handsome guy nothing, and then turn around and charge a sweet little elderly lady $10? I thought it was either free for everyone or $10 for everyone. But instead it's up to the notary to pick and choose who gets notarized for free? Hmm. That doesn't seem fair and even somewhat prejudicial.

National Notary Association

11 Aug 2015

While it's certainly a recommended ethical practice to avoid discriminatory charging practices, CA law does not specify Notaries that must charge all signers an identical amount. Notaries must use reasonable judgment when setting fees-for example, it would not be appropriate for a Notary to charge some signers and waive fees for others based on what political party the signer supports. However, it is reasonable for a signer who normally charges for services to waive a notarization fee if a specific signer is suffering economic or other hardship and the Notary wishes to assist the signer by waiving the fee.

cindana Turkatte

11 Aug 2015

I am doing fine

Edgar

12 Aug 2015

I work at a high-rise building in SF with multiple companies and thousands of employees. I have not charged notary fees to any employees who work for those other companies as a professional courtesy. I see other notaries posting their fees on the building's contact list. Could I waive the fee for those conducting "business" with our firm and charge those who have a document of personal nature or no business relationship with us? Please advise, thank you.

National Notary Association

14 Aug 2015

Yes. As a Notary, you are free to charge, or not to charge, for your notarial services. The only exception to this is if you have signed an agreement with your employer that specifies that you are to remit fees to your employer (See Government Code 8202.7).

Derrick

12 Aug 2015

What are the Notary Fees for the State of Illinois?

National Notary Association

13 Aug 2015

Hello. The maximum fee that may be charged by an Illinois Notary for any notarial act is $1. However, under a pilot program currently taking place for Cook County, until July 1, 2018, any Illinois Notary may charge up to $25 for notarizing a document of conveyance of residential property located in Cook County pursuant to Section 3-102 (5 ILCS 312/3-104[a]). This pilot program requires additional steps for the Notary, including keeping a record of the notarial act and taking the thumbprint of the signer.

Marisa

14 Apr 2016

I am a Notary in the state of Texas that I purchased on my own, am I required to charge a fee?

National Notary Association

14 Apr 2016

Hello. No, Texas does not require Notaries to charge a fee for their services.

Shirley Carroll

08 Mar 2017

How about Alabama

National Notary Association

08 Mar 2017

Hello. No, Alabama Notaries are not required to charge a fee.

Shirley Carroll

09 Mar 2017

Does Alabama Notaries charge a fee for their services?

National Notary Association

09 Mar 2017

Hello. Alabama Notaries may charge up to a maximum of $5 for a notarial act. (COA 36-20-74)

f krause

08 May 2017

What about compensation for notaries in Nebraska? Thanks.

National Notary Association

09 May 2017

Hello. A list of maximum fees for common notarial acts in each state can be found here: https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2016/11/how-state-notary-fees-compare

als

16 Oct 2017

I'm a little late to the party, but what about New Mexico? Thank you.

National Notary Association

17 Oct 2017

Hello. No, you are not required to charge a fee in New Mexico. “For performing a notarial act, a notary public may charge the maximum fee specified in this section, charge less than the maximum fee or waive the fee” (NMSA 14-12A-16[A]).

Tara

15 Dec 2017

I do real estate closings in New York and was recently told that some real estate regulations says we cannot charge for notarizations. It it legal for the companies we work for (as 1099 independent contractors) to say that we cannot charge the parties at the closing for our notarizations?

National Notary Association

20 Dec 2017

Hello. Are you referring to the insurance regulation at this link? http://www.dfs.ny.gov/insurance/r_finala/2017/rf208sum.pdf This regulation affects title insurance corporations from padding bills, overcharging etc. , but does not regulate NSAs. While the regulated fees may indirectly affect what a title company might be able to pay NSAs, this does not directly regulate fees for services provided by Notaries and other contractors to title insurers.

kriken13@gmail.com

19 Oct 2018

What about PA?

kriken13@gmail.com

22 Oct 2018

A PA Notary Public may waive the right to charge a fee (57 Pa.C.S. 329.1[c][2]).

Geri Nehmer

08 Dec 2018

How about Maryland?

National Notary Association

10 Dec 2018

Hello. No, Maryland Notaries are not required to charge a fee for their services.

Laura Lacerte

16 Jan 2019

Didn't see Colorado? Am I required to charge a fee?

National Notary Association

16 Jan 2019

Hello. No, Colorado Notaries are not required to charge a fee for their services.

Karla

21 Jan 2020

Hello, Customers send me notices via email that state they've paid a certain project and to have the form notarized for their records. I send this form to my Accounting team to see if they actually paid then notarize it.. I have not charged a fee because I am stumped as to who I should charge--if it's allowed with Colorado Notary laws. Thank you for your help! :-)

National Notary Association

22 Jan 2020

Based on what you’ve described, we think it would be best if you contacted our Hotline team by phone and provided them with a more detailed description of the situation. The NNA Hotline: 1-888-876-0827 Mon – Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (PT) Saturday: 5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT) If you’re not an NNA Member or Hotline Subscriber, they will provide you with a one-time courtesy call.

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