How much a notary can charge depends on the state, but for a standard in-person notarial act most states cap the fee somewhere between $2 and $15 per signature. Remote online notarizations usually carry a higher ceiling, and mobile notaries can add travel and administrative charges on top of the regulated per-act fee as long as those extras are disclosed up front.
Standard Per-Signature Caps by State
State legislatures set the maximum, not the notary. The cap applies to each notarial act: an acknowledgment, an oath, a jurat. Georgia and New York sit at the low end with $2 per act. California, Colorado, and Washington go up to $15 per signature. Most other states land somewhere in between.
Several states use a tiered schedule where the first signature costs more than each additional one on the same document. Texas allows $10 for the first signature and $1 for each additional signature. Nevada permits $15 for the first and $7.50 for each additional. Pennsylvania caps the first act at $5 and each additional signer at $2. Your total depends on how many signatures the document actually requires.
A handful of states impose no statutory maximum at all. Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky, and Maine let notaries set their own fees, though some require the notary to disclose the charge before performing the act. If you’re in one of those states, ask the price before you sit down.
The fee is calculated per signature or per act, not per document. A mortgage packet with three acknowledgments from two signers generates multiple charges, not one. A notary who quotes a single flat fee for the whole stack is either undercharging or, if the math exceeds the per-act cap, violating the statute.
Remote Online Notarization Costs More
When you appear by video instead of in person, the fee cap is usually higher. The most common ceiling for remote online notarization is $25 per act. That figure applies in Florida, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, New York, Utah, and Virginia. Maryland allows $30.
Some states also let the notary add a separate technology fee to cover the identity-verification platform and encrypted video session. Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming all permit a technology surcharge on top of the base fee. New Mexico allows a $25 technology fee plus the regular $5 per-act charge. A single remote notarization can easily come out to $30 or more once those layers combine, which surprises people used to paying $5 at a bank branch.
Not every state permits remote online notarization. Georgia and South Carolina still don’t allow it. California has authorized it but hasn’t implemented the rules. If your state doesn’t allow it, your options are an in-person appointment or a notary commissioned in a state that permits remote acts across state lines.
Travel and Administrative Charges
A mobile notary who drives to your home, hospital room, or office can charge for that convenience separately from the per-act fee. Most states leave travel charges unregulated as long as the amount is reasonable and disclosed in advance.
Many mobile notaries base travel on the IRS standard mileage rate, which is 72.5 cents per mile for 2026.1Internal Revenue Service. IRS Sets 2026 Business Standard Mileage Rate at 72.5 Cents Per Mile, Up 2.5 Cents Others charge a flat trip fee somewhere between $25 and $75 or more, depending on distance and time. Late-night and weekend appointments commonly carry a premium. These figures are negotiated between you and the notary, not set by statute.
Other line items you may see include printing fees for lengthy loan packages, overnight shipping through a tracked carrier, and providing an extra witness when the document requires one. Parking and tolls the notary incurs are also fair. The important thing is that these charges appear separately from the per-act notarization fee on your receipt, so you can verify the regulated portion hasn’t been padded.
Most states require the notary to tell you the total cost before performing any act. Notaries in a fixed office usually post a written fee schedule. Mobile notaries disclose over the phone or in a written agreement before they drive out. Get the quote in writing, or at least confirmed by text or email, before the appointment. If the price at the end doesn’t match the quote, that discrepancy is exactly what a state regulator looks for in a complaint.
Loan Closings Work Differently
If you’ve closed on a home loan, you’ve dealt with a notary signing agent. Their compensation doesn’t work like the per-signature fees above, and the distinction confuses both consumers and notaries.
A signing agent’s professional fee covers reviewing documents, running the closing appointment, and shipping the completed package back to the title company. That fee is negotiated between the signing agent and whoever hired them, not set by state statute. The per-act caps still apply to each individual notarization inside the loan package, but the overall compensation for the appointment is a separate, market-driven number, typically $75 to $200 or more per signing.
Borrowers rarely pay the signing agent directly. Payment usually comes from the title company, escrow company, or signing service that contracted the appointment. If a signing agent asks you to write a personal check at the closing table, that’s worth raising with your lender or title company before you sign anything.
When Notarization Is Free
Some notarizations must be provided at no cost. Under federal law, military legal assistance attorneys and other personnel authorized to notarize under 10 U.S.C. ยง 1044a cannot charge a fee for acts performed for service members and their families.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 U.S. Code 1044a – Authority to Act as Notary Active-duty personnel can get documents notarized on base for free. That doesn’t obligate civilian notaries to waive fees for veterans.
Several states also prohibit charging for specific document types tied to civic functions, such as absentee ballot affidavits, voter registration forms, or certain nominating petitions. Which documents qualify varies by state, so checking your local statute is the only reliable way to know.
Employee-notaries at banks, law firms, and real estate offices are another common source of free notarization. The employer sets the policy, and the employee generally cannot collect a personal fee for acts performed on company time. If you have an account at a bank or credit union, calling ahead to ask if they notarize for free is usually the cheapest option for a routine document.
If You Think You Were Overcharged
A notary who charges more than the statute allows can face administrative discipline from the state agency that issues notary commissions, usually the Secretary of State. Consequences range from a formal reprimand to suspension or revocation. Some states impose civil fines per violation, and a few treat willful overcharging as a criminal offense.
Most states require notaries to carry a surety bond, and consumers harmed by a notary’s misconduct, including overcharging, may be able to file a claim against that bond. Bond amounts commonly range from $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the state.
To pursue a complaint, file a written statement with your state’s commissioning agency describing the act, the amount charged, and attaching any receipt. The agency will investigate, contact the notary, and issue a decision. Keep the receipt showing the fee breakdown separate from the notarized document itself; it’s the single most useful piece of evidence you can bring.