How much a notary costs depends on where you live and what you need done. For a standard signature, most states cap the fee somewhere between $2 and $25 per notarial act, and plenty of banks and credit unions will do it for free. Costs climb once you add travel, after-hours scheduling, online platforms, or a full loan closing package. Here is what each type of service actually runs.
Standard Per-Signature Fees by State
Every state commissions notaries, and most set a maximum fee per notarial act covering acknowledgments, jurats, and oaths. Georgia and New York sit at the low end with a $2 cap per signature. Rhode Island sits at the top end at $25. Most states fall somewhere between $5 and $15. A notary can always charge less than the maximum, and many do.
Roughly eight states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont, set no statutory maximum at all. In those states, notaries are free to charge whatever the market will bear for a basic signature. Comparing prices before booking matters more there than anywhere else.
Some states use tiered pricing instead of a single flat cap. Texas allows $10 for the first signature and $1 for each additional one. Nevada charges $15 for the first and $7.50 for each after. A multi-signer document costs more up front under these rules, but the per-signature cost drops after the first name.
Where to Get a Notarization for Free
If you only need a straightforward notarization, you may not need to pay at all. Several national banks offer the service at no charge to account holders. Bank of America provides free notarizations at many of its financial centers regardless of the document type.1Bank of America. Notary Services Many credit unions and community banks do the same, though whether a commissioned notary is on staff varies day to day.
AAA is another option worth checking. Premier members get free notary service for up to five signatures a day, Plus members pay $6 per signature, and Classic members pay $10.2AAA. AAA Branch Services – Registration, Notary, Travel, Discounts, and More Public libraries and some shipping stores also notarize, with fees and availability that depend on the location. Call ahead before driving over, since not every branch has a notary on site every day.
Mobile Notary Fees
A mobile notary comes to your home, office, hospital, or wherever you need the signing. The convenience adds up. On top of the standard per-signature fee, mobile notaries charge a travel fee that typically runs $25 to $100 or more depending on distance and metro area. Urban areas with heavy traffic see higher travel charges, and rural appointments with long drives can push fees even higher.
Most states do not cap travel fees the way they cap notarial act fees, so this part is negotiable. A few states regulate it: Connecticut allows 35 cents per mile, and Wyoming ties travel fees to the federal mileage rate. In most other places, the notary sets the travel charge. Some mobile notaries use tiered pricing with a base fee covering the first 10 to 20 miles and a per-mile surcharge after that.
After-hours and weekend appointments often carry additional surcharges, sometimes $25 to $50 on top of everything else. If the signer is not ready when the notary arrives, some charge a waiting fee after a short grace period. Ask for the full cost breakdown before booking, including travel, timing surcharges, and the waiting policy.
Online Notarization Fees
Remote online notarization lets you complete the signing over a live video call from your computer or phone. Nearly all states permit it, with 47 states and the District of Columbia having enacted RON laws in recent years. The process uses identity verification technology, digital signatures, and a recorded session, so the fee structure looks different from a traditional in-person notarization.
A standard online notarization typically costs around $25 per document, which is higher than most in-person state maximums. That price usually bundles the notarial act fee with the platform’s technology costs. Some providers offer lower per-document rates through monthly subscription plans aimed at businesses or people who need frequent notarizations. You pay more per document than you would at a bank, but you skip the drive and can often get it done outside normal business hours.
Not every document type is eligible for online notarization in every state, and some receiving parties still require wet-ink signatures. Confirm with whoever is asking for the notarized document before choosing this route.
Notary Signing Agent Fees for Loan Closings
Loan closings are where notary costs climb sharply. A notary signing agent handles an entire closing package for a mortgage refinance or home purchase, walking you through dozens of documents that each need signatures and often separate notarizations. The role goes well beyond stamping a single page.
Signing agents typically earn $75 to $200 per appointment when working through a signing service, and $125 to $200 when contracted directly by a title company or escrow office. The borrower rarely pays this as a separate out-of-pocket item. It is usually rolled into closing costs, which means you are still paying for it, just not obviously. If you see “notary fee” or “signing fee” on your closing disclosure, that is where it lives.
The range reflects the complexity of the loan package, the local market, and whether the appointment is in person or handled as a hybrid closing with some documents signed remotely. Rush signings or unusual scheduling push the fee toward the higher end.
Apostille and Document Authentication Costs
If your notarized document is going to be used in another country that is part of the Hague Convention, you also need an apostille, which is a separate certificate that authenticates the document for international use. The notarization is just the first step.
The U.S. Department of State charges $20 per document for apostille certificates.3U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services Many states also issue apostilles through the Secretary of State’s office, typically $5 to $15 per document. Expedited processing and courier services can add $50 to $100 or more. Third-party services that handle the entire process charge anywhere from $50 to $200 per document, depending on turnaround and whether the document goes through a federal or state office.
All in, getting a document apostilled can run from about $30 for a straightforward state-level certificate to several hundred dollars for federal authentication with rush processing. Ask the receiving party exactly what form of authentication they require before paying for the wrong one.
What If a Notary Overcharges You
In states with fee maximums, those caps are legally enforceable. A notary who charges more than the state-allowed amount risks losing their commission, and in some states overcharging carries civil or criminal liability. If a notary quotes you $15 per signature in a state where the maximum is $5, they are either confused about their own state’s rules or hoping you will not check.
You can confirm your state’s maximum through the Secretary of State’s office or whichever agency commissions notaries where you live. The per-signature fee for the notarial act itself is the regulated piece. Travel fees, convenience fees, and platform charges sit outside most fee caps and are harder to challenge. Focus your scrutiny on the notarial act line and make sure it falls within your state’s limit.
How to Keep Notary Costs Down
The simplest way to save is to use your bank. If you have an account at a bank or credit union that offers free notarizations, a routine signature costs you nothing but the trip.1Bank of America. Notary Services Call ahead to confirm a notary is working that day and bring valid photo ID, the unsigned document, and any required witnesses.
If you need a mobile notary, get quotes from two or three before booking. Travel fees vary widely even within the same city, and some notaries bundle travel into a flat rate while others itemize it. Ask for the total cost, not just the per-signature fee. Schedule during normal business hours to avoid after-hours surcharges, and have your documents ready when the notary arrives so you do not trigger waiting fees.
For a loan closing, you have little say over the signing agent since the lender or title company picks one. You can still review your closing disclosure and check that the signing fee falls within the $75 to $200 range that is standard. If the charge looks unusually high, ask your loan officer to explain it.