You can get a document notarized at your bank or credit union, a UPS Store, a public library, a town or county clerk’s office, a law or real estate office, through a mobile notary who travels to you, or online by video call with a remote notary. Most people have a free or low-cost option within a short drive, and once you’re sitting across from the notary the signing itself takes only a few minutes. The right choice depends on what you’re signing, how quickly you need it done, and whether you’d rather pay a convenience fee than leave the house.
Your Bank or Credit Union
Start with the bank you already use. Many banks and credit unions keep a commissioned notary on staff and offer the service at no charge to account holders. Bank of America, for example, provides notary services at no cost to customers in many of its financial centers.1Bank of America. Notary Services from Bank of America Other large banks follow a similar model. Availability depends on whether a notary happens to be working that day, so call ahead before you drive over.
Credit unions work the same way. If you have a checking or savings account, the notarization is usually free. Non-members may be able to use the service for a small fee, or may be turned away. Banks are a particularly good fit for financial paperwork like loan documents and affidavits, since the staff handles that kind of signing routinely.
The UPS Store and FedEx
Participating UPS Store locations offer in-person notary services for documents including contracts, deeds, affidavits, and trusts.2UPS. The UPS Store Services Not every store handles every document type. Many UPS Stores won’t notarize wills or I-9 employment verification forms, so call the specific location first. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID.
FedEx took a different route. Instead of staffing notaries in its retail stores, FedEx partnered with the online platform Notarize to offer remote notarization through fedex.com. The service runs around the clock and costs $25 per transaction, plus $10 for each additional seal.3FedEx. FedEx Office Forms Alliance with Notarize to Bring Digital Notarization Services That makes FedEx an online option, not a walk-in one. Worth knowing before you drive to a store expecting to sit across from a notary.
Law Offices, Real Estate Firms, and Local Businesses
Law offices and real estate firms almost always have notaries on staff, because their daily work involves title transfers, closings, and legal filings that require notarized signatures. If you already have an attorney or you’re in the middle of a real estate transaction, getting your document notarized at the office handling your matter is the path of least resistance. Some firms will notarize for non-clients, but many limit the service to people they’re already working with.
Smaller local businesses sometimes double as notary locations. Insurance agencies, tax preparers, and some pharmacies employ notaries and charge a nominal fee. These spots work well for straightforward documents and are often less crowded than a bank branch at peak hours.
Membership organizations fit in here too. AAA offers notary services at select office locations, with discounted pricing for members, though AAA handles personal documents only and won’t notarize business paperwork.4AAA. Notary Services at AAA
Public Libraries and Clerk Offices
Many public libraries keep a notary on staff as a community service, sometimes at no charge. The Eaton Public Library in Colorado is a typical example, with one dedicated notary handling community requests for contracts, wills, and other documents.5Eaton, CO. Notary Not every library offers this. The ones that do often keep limited hours or ask you to schedule an appointment.
Town and city clerk offices are another reliable option during regular business hours. County clerk offices are especially useful when the document you’re signing needs to be filed with a court or recorded in public records. Some municipal offices have scaled back or dropped the service in recent years. Denver’s Department of Licensing, for instance, stopped providing notary services in late 2025.6City and County of Denver. Notary Services – No Longer Offered A quick phone call before you go saves a wasted trip.
Mobile Notaries
If you can’t travel to a notary, because of a medical condition, a tight deadline, or simply a packed schedule, a mobile notary will come to you. Mobile notaries travel to homes, hospitals, offices, and other locations and perform the same notarization you’d get at a bank or shipping store. You pay for the convenience: both the per-signature notarial fee and a separate travel fee.
Travel fee rules vary by state. A handful of states and the District of Columbia cap what a mobile notary can charge for travel. Others tie the fee to the IRS standard mileage rate, which is 72.5 cents per mile in 2026.7IRS. IRS Sets 2026 Business Standard Mileage Rate at 72.5 Cents Per Mile Some states let the notary set their own travel rate with no cap, in which case the standard advice is to agree on the total cost before the notary heads your way. Expect the combined bill to land somewhere between $50 and $200, depending on distance and time of day.
Remote Online Notarization
Remote online notarization, usually shortened to RON, lets you connect with a commissioned notary over a live video call, sign your document electronically, and receive a digital notary seal without leaving home. As of early 2025, at least 45 states and the District of Columbia have permanent laws authorizing this method. The Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, drafted by the Uniform Law Commission, is the model framework many states have used.8Uniform Law Commission. Current Acts – L
Identity verification online is more involved than showing a driver’s license in person. You hold your ID up to the camera, the platform scans your uploaded ID images to verify security features, and you answer a timed quiz of personal questions drawn from your credit and financial history. A typical requirement is answering at least four out of five questions correctly within two minutes. Fail twice, and the notary cannot proceed.
Not every document qualifies for online notarization. Some states exclude certain categories, such as self-proved wills, or documents that need to be recorded in a specific county. Check your state’s rules before starting an online session, because an invalid digital seal can delay your entire transaction.
What It Costs
Most states cap what a notary can charge per signature for standard in-person acts. The range runs from about $2 to $25, with the majority of states falling between $5 and $10. Around ten states don’t set a statutory maximum, leaving the fee to the notary’s discretion. Banks frequently waive the fee entirely for account holders, and some libraries and government offices charge nothing at all.1Bank of America. Notary Services from Bank of America
Remote online notarization costs more. Platform fees typically land around $25 per session, as with the FedEx and Notarize partnership, and additional seals on the same transaction usually add $10 each.3FedEx. FedEx Office Forms Alliance with Notarize to Bring Digital Notarization Services Mobile notaries charge the per-signature fee plus a travel fee, which can push the total well above a walk-in appointment.
What to Bring
You need a valid, government-issued photo ID. A current driver’s license, U.S. passport, military ID, or state-issued identification card all work.2UPS. The UPS Store Services Social Security cards, birth certificates, credit cards, and school IDs do not. The ID must be an original physical document; photocopies and phone photos will be rejected. If the ID is expired, a few states allow a small grace period (up to three years in some cases), but most notaries will turn you away.
Bring the document with all fields filled in. If the notarial certificate on your document says “sworn” or “affirmed,” leave the signature line blank until you’re in front of the notary. If it says “acknowledged,” you can sign in advance. Never ask the notary to help you fill out the document. Notaries are prohibited from providing legal advice or drafting content, and most will refuse to proceed if the document is incomplete.
Some documents also need witnesses, usually “disinterested” ones who don’t benefit from the document. Wills, healthcare directives, and some powers of attorney fall into this category. All witnesses must be physically present at the same time as you and the notary. Certain UPS Store locations can provide signature witnesses, but availability varies by store and state law.2UPS. The UPS Store Services If your document needs witnesses, confirm the location can supply them before you go.
What a Notary Can’t Do for You
Not every signing need is a notary problem. A notary cannot notarize their own signature, and cannot notarize any document where they or their spouse has a direct financial interest in the transaction.
Notaries also cannot certify copies of vital records like birth certificates, death certificates, or marriage certificates. Only the government agency that issued the record can produce certified copies. If someone asks you to “get your birth certificate notarized,” what you actually need is a certified copy from your state’s vital records office. A notary stamp on a photocopy has no legal effect.
And a notary is not a lawyer. They cannot draft documents, explain what legal language means, advise you on whether to sign, or help you fill in blank fields. If you need that kind of guidance, consult an attorney before your appointment.
Documents Headed Abroad
If you need to use a notarized document in another country, the notary stamp alone usually isn’t enough. You’ll likely need an additional certification called an apostille. For countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications issues apostilles for documents signed by federal officials, consular officers, and military notaries.9U.S. Department of State. Office of Authentications For documents notarized at the state level, the secretary of state’s office in the state where the notary is commissioned handles the apostille.
One detail that trips people up: do not get a federal document itself notarized before seeking an apostille. The State Department warns that a federal document will no longer be valid if a notary stamp is added to it.10Travel.State.Gov. Preparing Your Document for an Apostille Certificate If the receiving country requires a translation, have the translation professionally done and then notarize the translation, not the underlying document. For countries outside the Hague Convention, a separate authentication certificate is required instead of an apostille, also issued through the State Department.