Last updated: April 2, 2026. Based on North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 10B (G.S. 10B-31), House Bill 776 (2023), and 2025 legislative updates (HB 40, HB 388).
North Carolina Notary Fees at a Glance (2026)
North Carolina sets clear maximum fees that notaries may charge under G.S. 10B-31. Notaries may charge less than the maximum but may never charge more.
Traditional (Paper) Notarization
| Notarial Act | Maximum Fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment | $10.00 per principal signature |
| Jurat | $10.00 per principal signature |
| Verification or Proof | $10.00 per principal signature |
| Oath/Affirmation (with signature) | $10.00 per principal signature |
| Oath/Affirmation (without signature) | $10.00 per person |
Electronic Notarization (In-Person)
| Notarial Act | Maximum Fee |
|---|---|
| Electronic Acknowledgment | $15.00 per signature |
| Electronic Jurat | $15.00 per signature |
| Electronic Oath/Affirmation (without signature) | $15.00 per person |
Remote Online Notarization (RON)
| Notarial Act | Maximum Fee |
|---|---|
| Remote Notarization | $25.00 per principal signature |
Fee Calculation Examples
Understanding per-signature pricing is essential for both notaries and the public:
Example 1: Single Signature
One person signs one acknowledgment = $10.00 maximum
Example 2: Multiple Signers
Three people each sign the same acknowledgment document = $30.00 maximum ($10 x 3 signatures)
Example 3: Multiple Documents
One person signs four separate acknowledgment documents = $40.00 maximum ($10 x 4 signatures)
Example 4: Electronic Notarization
Two people sign a document electronically = $30.00 maximum ($15 x 2 signatures)
Example 5: Remote Notarization
One person signs a document via RON = $25.00 maximum
Travel Fees: Now Allowed in North Carolina
House Bill 776 (2023) introduced a major change: North Carolina notaries can now charge travel fees. The rules are specific:
| Travel Fee Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Prior agreement | Must be in writing before travel begins |
| Rate | Federal business mileage rate ($0.70/mile in 2026) |
| Calculation | One-way distance only |
Important: The travel fee is separate from the notarial fee. A notary can charge both the $10 notarial fee AND mileage, as long as the travel agreement is signed before the trip.
Acts That Must Be Done for FREE
North Carolina law requires notaries to perform certain acts without charge:
| Act | Reason |
|---|---|
| Notarizing absentee ballots | Public service — required by law |
| Administering oaths of office | Public service |
| Oath to credible witness vouching for identity | Part of the identification process |
A notary who charges for these acts violates G.S. 10B-31.
What Changed with House Bill 776 (2023)
NC House Bill 776 made several significant changes to notary fees and practices:
- Raised maximum traditional fees from $5 to $10 per signature
- Raised electronic notarization fees to $15
- Established RON fees at $25 per signature
- Authorized travel fees for the first time (at federal mileage rate)
- Created permanent remote notarization framework with platform licensing
Platform providers for RON must be licensed with the NC Secretary of State at $5,000 per year, and must remit a $5 surcharge per remote notarial act to the state.
2025 Legislative Updates (HB 40 and HB 388)
Two new bills affect North Carolina notaries in 2025-2026:
HB 40 — Electronic Signature on Applications (Effective June 26, 2025)
- Removes the requirement that initial notary applications be signed "with pen and ink"
- Allows the Secretary of State to establish an electronic signature submission process
- Makes the application process more accessible for online filing
HB 388 — Emergency Video Notarization Extension
- Extends the temporary authorization for emergency video notarizations
- The extension sunsets on July 1, 2026, or when the Secretary of State issues the first RON platform license — whichever comes first
- Once a platform is licensed under the permanent HB 776 framework, emergency video notarizations transition to the permanent RON system
What this means for notaries: If you have been using emergency video notarization, you should monitor the Secretary of State's REN A (Remote Electronic Notarization) platform licensing progress. Once platforms are licensed, the permanent fee structure ($25 remote, $15 electronic) fully applies.
Penalties for Overcharging
North Carolina takes fee violations seriously:
- Overcharging is a violation of the Notary Public Act (Chapter 10B)
- The Secretary of State can suspend or revoke a notary commission
- The notary may face civil liability for recovery of overcharged fees
- A pattern of violations can result in permanent denial of commission renewal
Under G.S. 10B-30, a notary shall not discriminatorily condition fees on any attribute of the principal.
How NC Fees Compare Nationally
North Carolina's $10 fee is in the middle range nationally:
| State | Traditional Fee | Electronic Fee | RON Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $10.00 | $15.00 | $25.00 |
| New York | $2.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Florida | $10.00 | $10.00 | $25.00 |
| Texas | $10.00 | $10.00 | $25.00 |
| California | $15.00 | $15.00 | N/A |
| Georgia | $2.00 | N/A | N/A |
| Virginia | $10.00 | $10.00 | $25.00 |
| Tennessee | No set fee | N/A | $25.00 |
North Carolina's three-tier fee structure (traditional $10, electronic $15, RON $25) is becoming the standard model nationally.
NC Notary Commission Costs
Beyond notarial act fees, becoming a notary in North Carolina has these costs:
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $50.00 |
| Commission renewal | $50.00 |
| Electronic notary registration | Additional fee (varies) |
| RON platform licensing | $5,000/year (platform providers, not individual notaries) |
| Notary seal/stamp | $15-$30 (vendor cost) |
| Notary journal | $10-$25 (vendor cost) |
NC notary commissions last 5 years and must be renewed before expiration.
NC Notary Exam and Fee Questions
The North Carolina notary exam tests fee knowledge in several areas:
- Maximum fee amounts for traditional ($10), electronic ($15), and remote ($25) notarizations
- Per-signature calculation — how to calculate fees for multiple signers or documents
- Free acts — which notarizations cannot be charged for
- Travel fee rules — written agreement and federal mileage rate
- Overcharging consequences — potential commission suspension or revocation
NC Notary Fee Rules for Employers
Employers often pay for their employees' notary commissions. Key rules:
- An employer may reimburse or pay the notary's application fee
- The notary's commission belongs to the notary, not the employer
- The maximum fee caps still apply — even if the employer sets pricing
- An employer-merchant who is also the principal cannot charge themselves a notary fee on the transaction
Practice CTA
Official Sources (2026)
- NC General Statutes Chapter 10B
- G.S. 10B-31: Fees for Notarial Acts (PDF)
- NC Secretary of State: Notary Public
- NC House Bill 776 (2023)
How to Turn This North Carolina Notary Guide Into a Passing Study Plan
A notary exam or appointment review is not just a vocabulary test. It measures whether you can protect the signer, the document, the public record, and your own commission when the facts are messy. Read the rules above once for orientation, then convert them into a procedure checklist you can apply to acknowledgments, jurats, oaths or affirmations, copy certifications if allowed, and any remote or electronic notarization rules that apply in North Carolina.
Your first checklist should follow the order of a real appointment. Confirm that the requested act is one you are authorized to perform. Confirm personal appearance under the rules that apply to the act. Identify the signer using the acceptable evidence described in your North Carolina materials. Screen for willingness, awareness, and basic communication. Complete the notarial certificate with the correct venue, date, signer name, notarial wording, signature, seal, and commission information. Record the act in your journal if required, or keep a careful voluntary record when allowed and appropriate.
That sequence is important because many exam questions describe a signer who appears at the wrong time, presents weak identification, asks for legal advice, wants a blank document notarized, or asks the notary to choose the certificate. In those scenarios, memorizing definitions is not enough. You need to know the next lawful step. Usually the safest exam answer is the one that preserves impartiality, requires proper identification and personal appearance, refuses unauthorized practice of law, and follows the certificate requirements exactly.
North Carolina Commission Workflow and Documents to Verify
Before relying on any checklist, verify the current North Carolina commissioning process with the Secretary of State, commissioning authority, approved education provider, or official handbook named in your materials. Administrative steps can change even when the core notary duties stay the same. Confirm the current application form, training or exam requirement, bond requirement if any, oath filing, seal requirements, commission term, renewal timing, and whether remote online notarization has separate registration rules.
Keep a small commissioning file with your application confirmation, education certificate, exam result if applicable, bond or insurance documents, oath filing receipt, commission certificate, stamp order, and journal purchase record. If you plan to offer loan signing or mobile notary services, keep those business records separate from your official notary records. Your commission duties come first; marketing, travel fees, and signing-agent assignments never expand what state law allows you to notarize.
When you review fees, separate maximum notarial fees from optional charges such as travel or business service fees. If the article above lists a fee cap, treat it as a rule to verify and apply carefully. Fee questions often test whether the candidate can distinguish a notarization fee from a separate travel agreement, whether the fee must be disclosed in advance, and whether remote online notarization has a different fee structure.
Procedure Drills That Build Exam Readiness
The fastest way to improve is to practice short appointment scenarios. Write five columns on a page: requested act, signer identity evidence, document condition, certificate wording, and notary action. Then create examples. A signer wants an acknowledgment but has not signed yet. A signer wants a jurat but refuses an oath. A signer brings an expired ID. A spouse asks you to notarize for an absent signer. A customer asks whether a power of attorney is legally sufficient. A remote signer passes credential analysis but cannot communicate clearly. For each scenario, write what you would do and why.
Focus especially on the difference between acknowledgments and jurats. In an acknowledgment, the signer acknowledges signing willingly; the document may have been signed before appearing if state law and the certificate allow it. In a jurat, the signer swears or affirms the truth of the document and usually signs in the notary's presence. Exam questions often hide the correct answer in those verbs. If the certificate says subscribed and sworn, think oath or affirmation. If it says acknowledged before me, think acknowledgment and voluntary execution.
Also drill refusal rules. A notary should refuse when the signer is not properly identified, does not personally appear as required, appears unwilling or unaware, asks the notary to perform an unauthorized act, presents a document with blanks that cannot be completed, or asks for legal advice. A refusal should be calm, specific, and tied to the rule. On the exam, avoid answers that make the notary a document adviser, immigration consultant, attorney, or party to the transaction.
Recordkeeping, Seal, and Certificate Traps
Recordkeeping questions are easy points if you learn the pattern. The journal entry, when required or recommended, should document the date and time, type of act, document description, signer identity method, fee, and any signature or thumbprint requirement that applies. Do not invent information after the fact. Do not share journal details casually. Do not let an employer take control of official records unless your state rules clearly allow a specific arrangement.
Seal questions usually test completeness and control. Keep your stamp secure, use the exact name and commission information required, and never let another person use your seal. If a stamp is lost, stolen, damaged, or replaced after a name or commission change, follow the reporting and replacement process in your North Carolina rules. If a certificate has an error, correct it only in the manner allowed by your commissioning authority; do not backdate or attach a loose certificate unless the facts and state rules support that action.
Certificate wording is another common trap. A notary may identify the type of notarial act requested, but should not choose the legal effect of a certificate for a signer. If the document lacks a certificate, the signer or document recipient may need to choose or provide the wording. Your role is to complete the notarial act correctly, not to decide which form gives the document legal effect.
If You Miss Questions in Practice
Use missed questions as a routing tool. If you miss identification questions, reread acceptable ID, credible witness, and personal knowledge rules. If you miss jurat questions, drill oath language and signature timing. If you miss fee questions, build a small chart of allowed fees and when they apply. If you miss remote notarization questions, separate traditional personal appearance from remote appearance, credential analysis, audio-video session rules, electronic journal requirements, and technology-provider rules.
Buy on Amazon