5.1 Maximum Notary Fees, Travel Fees & the Fee Schedule
Key Takeaways
Maximum fees are $5 per signature for an acknowledgment, a jurat, or a signature witnessing, and $1 per page certified with a $3 minimum for a certified copy (Section 486.685.2).
A notary may charge the maximum, charge less, or waive the fee, and may reduce fees for humanitarian or charitable reasons (Section 486.685.1, .4).
A travel fee is allowed only if it is agreed in advance of the travel and the notary explains it is separate from the notarial fee and neither specified nor mandated by law (Section 486.685.3).
A notary who charges must conspicuously display, or present to each principal outside the office, an English-language fee schedule printed in no smaller than 12-point type (Section 486.685.6).
Fees may be required in advance and are nonrefundable once the act is completed (Section 486.690).
Missouri sets maximum notary fees by statute. A notary never has to charge, but may never charge more than the law allows. The fee rules are short, numeric, and heavily tested.
Maximum Fees (Section 486.685.2)
| Notarial act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment | $5 per signature |
| Jurat | $5 per signature |
| Signature witnessing | $5 per signature |
| Certified copy | $1 per page certified, with a minimum total charge of $3 |
| Electronic notarization | As set in Section 486.960 (also $5 per signature for an acknowledgment, jurat, or signature witnessing) |
The handbook adds that the maximum fee for any other notarial act (such as an oath or affirmation given on its own) is $5. A fee is per signature notarized, not per document or per page of the document.
Worked Examples
| Situation | Maximum |
|---|---|
| One signer acknowledges a 20-page deed of trust | $5 |
| Two spouses each acknowledge their signatures on one deed | $10 |
| Three partners each sign a partnership affidavit under oath | $15 |
| Certified copy of a 2-page lease | $3 (minimum) |
| Certified copy of a 9-page contract | $9 |
| Signer acknowledges signatures on 4 separate documents | $20 (four signatures) |
Charging Less, Waiving, and Nondiscrimination
- A notary "may charge the maximum fee specified... charge less than the maximum fee, or waive the fee" (Section 486.685.1).
- A notary shall not discriminate in charging fees based on the characteristics protected by Section 213.055 RSMo (race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, or disability), "though a notary may waive or reduce fees for humanitarian or charitable reasons" (Section 486.685.4).
- A notary may never charge for notarizing the signature on an absentee ballot or absentee voter registration (Section 486.685.5; see Section 5.2).
Travel Fees (Section 486.685.3)
A mobile notary may charge a travel fee only if both conditions are met:
- the notary and the person requesting the act agree on the travel fee in advance of the travel; and
- the notary explains that the travel fee is separate from the notarial fee and neither specified nor mandated by law.
The statute sets no dollar cap on travel fees; the protection is advance agreement and disclosure. A notary who arrives and then announces an unagreed travel charge has not met the statute.
Paying in Advance and Refunds (Section 486.690)
- A notary may require payment of the fees before performing the act.
- Prepaid fees are nonrefundable if the act was completed.
- A prepaid travel fee is nonrefundable if the notary traveled but could not complete the act because Section 486.645 prohibited it (for example, the signer lacked ID or did not appear to understand), or because the notary knew or reasonably believed the act or transaction was unlawful.
The Fee Schedule (Section 486.685.6)
A notary who charges for notarial services must:
- conspicuously display an English-language schedule of fees at the regular place of work or business, or
- present the schedule to each principal when notarizing outside the regular place of work or business.
No part of the schedule may be printed in type smaller than twelve-point. An electronic notary who charges must display the schedule in all places of business and on internet sites (Section 486.960.6).
A nonattorney notary who advertises notarial services in a language other than English must also include the fees in that advertisement, in the same language (Section 486.680.2; Section 7.3).
The Journal and the Fee
The fee charged, if any, is a required journal entry (Section 486.705.1(7)). The handbook adds that failing to record the notarization in the journal precludes collection of the fee.
Fees That Cross the Line
Section 486.645.3(2) disqualifies a notary who will receive any commission, fee, advantage, right, title, interest, cash, property, or other consideration exceeding in value the fees in Section 486.685 from performing the act. Section 486.645.4 makes one exception: a notary may collect a nonnotarial fee for services as a signing agent, as long as that fee is not contingent on the signing, initialing, or notarization of any document. A remote online notary may also charge a separately agreed remote online transaction fee (Section 486.1160; Chapter 6).
Employer Rules in Brief
An employer may prohibit an employee notary from charging for acts performed on the employer's time. A private employer may not require the employee to surrender or share fees. A governmental employer that absorbed the employee's notary costs must require fees for acts on its time to be waived or surrendered to the agency (Section 486.695). Section 5.2 covers these rules in detail.
Exam Scenarios
- Per-signature math. A husband and wife acknowledge a deed, and the wife also signs an affidavit under oath. Maximum: $5 + $5 + $5 = $15.
- Surprise travel charge. A notary quotes "$5 per signature" on the phone, drives 20 miles, and then demands $40 for travel. The fee was not agreed in advance, so the notary may not collect it.
- Signing agent fee. A loan signing service pays a notary $100 for printing, delivering, and presenting a loan package, payable whether or not the borrower signs. That is a permissible nonnotarial fee; the notary may charge no more than $5 per notarized signature.
Two spouses each acknowledge their signatures on one warranty deed. What is the maximum notarial fee?
$15
$3
$10
$5
When may a Missouri notary charge a travel fee?
When it is agreed in advance and explained as separate and not set by law
Only when the Secretary of State has approved the amount
Whenever the notary travels more than ten miles, at a rate of $1 per mile driven
Only when the travel fee does not exceed the $5 notarial fee
Which statement about a Missouri notary's fee schedule is correct?
A notary who charges must display or present an English schedule in at least 12-point type
Every notary must post a fee schedule in both English and Spanish, even one who charges nothing
The schedule must be filed with the county clerk every year and approved before any fee is charged
Only notaries who charge travel fees need a written schedule
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.