How Much Does a Notary Cost?

Notary fees in the United States are regulated differently in each state, but you can generally expect to pay anywhere from $2 to $25 per signature for standard notarization. Understanding what drives notary costs helps you find the right service at the right price.

Standard Per-Signature Notary Fees

Most states set a maximum fee that notaries can charge per notarial act — typically between $2 and $15 per signature, with a handful of states (including Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Vermont) leaving it up to the notary's discretion entirely. California caps fees at $15 per signature, Rhode Island allows up to $25, and Georgia caps at just $2. These caps apply to the notarization itself; mobile notaries are generally permitted to charge additional travel fees on top. Fee caps change by state legislature more often than you'd expect — see the full table below for your state, dated and sourced.

Notary Fee Caps by State

The table below shows the maximum fee a notary can charge for a standard notarial act, current as of 2026-07-30 and independently re-verified against primary sources (not just secondary trackers) for California, Texas, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Wyoming. Notary fee statutes change periodically — Connecticut raised its cap from $5 to $10 effective 2026-07-01 (Public Act 26-81), and Wyoming's $10 cap had been sitting stale in older trackers for five years — so confirm with your state's Secretary of State before relying on this for anything beyond a rough estimate.

Mobile Notary Travel Fees

When a notary travels to your location, they typically add a travel fee separate from the notarization fee itself. This fee commonly ranges from $25 to $75 for local trips, though it can be higher for longer distances or after-hours appointments. Mobile notaries offer the convenience of coming to your home, office, hospital, or any agreed location — the travel fee is the premium for that convenience.

Loan Signing Agent Fees

Loan signing agents — notaries who specialize in mortgage and real estate closing documents — typically charge a flat package fee rather than a per-signature rate. These fees generally range from $75 to $200 per appointment, depending on your location and the complexity of the transaction. This higher fee reflects the specialized knowledge required and the additional time involved in walking through a complete mortgage closing package, which can run 100–200 pages.

Free Notary Services

You may be able to get documents notarized for free in several places:

• Your bank or credit union — many financial institutions offer free notary services to account holders (Bank of America confirms this at all financial centers; most major banks offer it to customers, though policies vary by branch)
• Your public library — many branches offer free notary services, though this varies by library system and usually requires an appointment
• Your employer — large companies and law firms often have notaries on staff
• AAA — this is a member discount, not free: AAA typically charges members around $10 per signature and non-members around $15
• UPS Store locations — also not free: expect $2-15 per signature depending on your state's fee cap, sometimes plus an added convenience fee

Tips for Keeping Notary Costs Down

• Call ahead to confirm a notary is available and ask about current fees before visiting
• Have all parties who need to sign present at the same appointment to avoid multiple trips
• Check whether your bank offers free notary services to account holders — many do
• For complex documents like loan packages, compare mobile notary rates in your area
• For simple single-document signings, an office notary (bank, UPS Store) is usually more affordable than mobile