How Do Your State's Notary Fees Compare To Other Regions?

I learned that the low fee was to ensure that notary services were inexpensive enough to be affordable for everyone.

Hi Jessica. Some state laws use different wording-some states say "per signature" in their laws, while others say "per notarization" or "per notarial act" for example. Always follow the laws for your own state.

I agree the low fees are a disgrace. If it weren't for the travel fee that I am allowed to charge I wouldn't be a notary anymore. They need to increase the fees in most states.

Question for those without a set fee. How do you set your fees? Question for those with very low fees. It doesn't seem to be worth it to be a notary, how do you make money being a notary? Are you able to add on costs beyond the notary fee to make it worth the time and trouble? I live in Hawai'i, and just renewed my notary. It was $143 for the renewal, another $40 for the bond and another $300 for the E&O insurance. I'm not a traveling notary, and can't change the price, so it will take me about 97 notaries to break even. I've written my state representatives requesting a more equatable fee schedule, but I don't expect much action on their part.

Nevada's notary fees haven't increased in decades, but the state has increased the costs of becoming an notary. First it institute a training class for new notaries, then decided that ALL notaries must take the class in order to renew. That's an additional $45, plus the bond, plus the application, plus the fee to file the bond at the County Recorder's office. All up, including the stamp and book, in Las Vegas, it costs close to $200 to become a notary. All to make $5 for a signature. The travel fees help, but the fee schedule for that is so complicated it's not worth even trying to figure out if you only occasionally do mobile notaries.

what kind of money can I expect being a Mobile signing agent?

The requirements to be a notary are different in each state. Some state don't require background checks and some can apply online with little training and testing. I agree there should be better fees, but only if the requirements to be a notary are strengthened.

The notary fees are pitiful. How is one supposed to get by?

Hello Ivan. In California the current maximum fee is $10 per signature notarized. Please note that the fees are changing in January 2017. Please see this article for more information: https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2016/08/ca-notaries-get-raise-15-fee

The fees are criminally low except thr no fee schedule. Its no wonder you cant find notaries when banks close etc. New price reforms for a very risky job. Especially if the ckiente is scandalous for getting documents etc notarized. TLC insurance your notary stam or notary embosser. The time it takes to do it and to make sure it's right it's just not worth it LSU to mobile or other notary task such as Market signings but many states don't allow you to do it legally. If people can flip over and get $15 and ours certainly no reason should be able to get at least that much personalization for certain types of documents and at least 10 to 12 or any other type of Peru notarisation or document. Better yet I like that you know fee schedule is too many rest and too much drama to put up pictures a couple bucks r notarization

I am a notary in RI. I don't charge anything for my services so it doesn't matter to me what the fee is for the state. I am not in it to make money just trying to help. I don't do a large volume of notarizing but I think the fees should stay low.

$15 for a notary signature in california!!!? Seriously, does notarizing a document more work than a barber's? Ridiculous!!! Just because you want to make a living doesn't mean you can charge what ever you want. Glad the banks are offering free notary service!!!

The notarization fees are just that: a maximum to charge for verifying/acknowledging a clients signature. However, when running a business your fees for printing/travel/and explaining other documents are within your scope to charge as the market will bear. Don't be intimidated from charging a well deserved business fee for your hard work.

I'm a full time california mobile notary. i came upon this article because i was researching the fees of different states. i wanted to expand the business to other states, but now it seems my options are very limited. before i read this article i had no idea how badly other state's notaries are treated. i thought we had it bad in California but it seems notaries are the lowest paid government employees/servants. i employ other notaries and i can speak for us all - we earn every cent we charge. most jobs are 40 minutes on average not including the additional 30 min avg travel time to, this is not including the return travel. also, when one deals with the public there are always issues that come up i.e., expired/no identification, unable to physically sign, waiting for clients to prep the documents, waiting for clients to arrive, difficult clients... and these are everyday occurrences. also, my business is in an extremely densely populated county and is home to one of our states largest medical industries, so we travel often to businesses and hospitals. so i guess the point I'm trying to make is that as notaries we should value our work more because we deserve fair pay. a starting government employee makes about $55,000 . why should notaries deserve any less...? what can we do to bring attention to this?

Thank you for your message, we've updated the chart with the correction.

Hello. In Maryland, you may charge a fee of $4 maximum for each separate original notarial act performed. (ACM St. Gov. 18-112[a] and CMR 01.02.08.03). However if you are asked to notarize multiple signatures for the same person on several copies of an identical document, you may charge $2.00 for notarizing each of that person's signatures on the original or first copy of the document, and may demand and receive a maximum of $1.00 for each time the same person needs their signature notarized on additional copies of the same document. (CMR 01.02.08.03B).

Hello. The maximum fee a Notary may charge depends on individual state law. What state are you located in?

The maximum fees that a New York Notary may charge for a notarial act are (EL 136): 1. Taking an acknowledgment or proof: $2 per person, plus $2 for each witness sworn in; 2. Administering an oath or affirmation including, as applicable, any jurat certificate: $2 per person (except where another fee is specifically prescribed by statute); 3. Executing a protest: 75 cents per protest and 10 cents per notice of protest, not exceeding five notices (EL 135).

Hello. The maximum Notary fee in New York is still $2. Please see here: https://www.dos.ny.gov/licensing/notary/notary_faq.html#2

A notary wants to charge me 210 for notarizing a document with 2 signatures. Can they do this.

I just got charged $16 for two signatures on two separate bill of sales at my local UPS store in Rhode Island. Why aren’t they charging the max fees stated on this site. Is it legal? Can they get in trouble for not charging what the state requires?

I am in NJ, where the max fee is $2.50. How are places like the UPS Store charging $10?I've also seen others charging $25.00. Am I missing something? Is the $2.50 the legal maximum you're allowed to charge?

Hi, I'm a notary in NC, intending to become a signing agent as well. I want to start charging travel fees also. May I start an LLC to do so?

Is the $5 fee for Alabama the max a Notary can charge regardless of the # of signatures?

I'm in Florida. I charge $3 sometimes $10 depending. I will charge notary, plus travel fee if I'm traveling more than 10miles. I will charge $5/hour for my time if I have to wait with the client at an agency or location. I will also charge if I'm called for an emergency after hours at the hospital. Notary is an additional service and not my main employment.

Hello. The maximum fee for a notarization in Georgia is $2 (OCGA 45-17-11).

Hello. A notarial act means any notarization you perform such as acknowledgment or jurat. In Maryland, you may charge $4 for each notarization you perform on an original document. If you are asked to notarize duplicate copies of the same document, you may charge $2 for the first copy of the original that you notarize, and $1 for each additional copy of the original document after the first. (ACM St. Gov. 18-112[a], CMR 01.02.08.03 and CMR 01.02.08.03B)

Hi James, thanks for pointing this out. We have updated the information for Arizona in the chart.

Hello. Chapter 262, Section 41 which you link to sets fees for protests only. The state of Massachusetts does not set fees for acknowledgments or jurats.

Hello. They maximum fee you may charge in Georgia is $2 for each notarization performed, regardless of the type of document notarized.

Hello. Virginia authorizes Notaries to charge up to $25 when notarizing electronic documents. “A notary may, for taking and certifying the acknowledgment of any electronic document, or administering and certifying an oath or affirmation, or certifying electronic affidavits and depositions of witnesses, or certifying that a copy of an electronic document is a true copy thereof, charge a fee not to exceed $25” (COV 47.1-19[B]).

It is a public service NOT a way to make money. My town clerk does not charge anything at all.

Just became a notary in Illinois! Illinois notaries cannot charge more then $1 per signature, how are you suppose to eat on this chump change.

Hello. “A notary may charge a travel fee when traveling to perform a notarial act if: “1. the notary and the person requesting the notarial act agree upon the travel fee in advance of the travel; and 2. the notary explains to the person requesting the notarial act that the travel fee is both separate from the notarial fee ... and neither specified nor mandated by law” (1 MAC Pt. 5, R. 050.5.11[B]). If you choose to charge a fee, you may charge anywhere between a minimum of $2 and a maximum of $5 per signature notarized (or per person you administer an oath to) (1 MAC Pt. 5, R. 050.5.11[A]) and (MCA 25-7-29). However, you may also choose not to charge a fee for humanitarian or charitable reasons (1 MAC Pt. 5, R. 050.5.10[B]).