In Pennsylvania, a notary can charge up to $5.00 for most notarial acts, with the exact cap depending on the type of act. That ceiling is set by the Department of State under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. So how much can a notary charge in PA in practice? The $5.00 figure covers the notarization itself; separate charges for travel or clerical work are allowed on top, as long as they’re disclosed to you before the notary starts.
Maximum Fees by Type of Notarial Act
A notary can always charge less than the cap or waive the fee entirely. Charging more is illegal.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 57 Chapter 3 Section 329.1 – Fees of Notaries Public
- Acknowledgment: $5.00 for the first person, $2.00 for each additional name
- Oath or affirmation: $5.00 per individual
- Verification on oath or affirmation: $5.00, regardless of how many signatures
- Witnessing or attesting a signature: $5.00 per signature
- Certifying or attesting a copy: $5.00 per certified copy
- Executing a protest: $3.00 per page
The acknowledgment line is where people get confused. If two spouses both sign a deed, the notary can charge $5.00 for the first name and $2.00 for the second, for a total of $7.00 on that single act.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Notary Public Fees
Travel, Clerical, and Platform Charges Aren’t Capped
The $5.00 ceiling applies only to the notarial act. Pennsylvania lets notaries charge separately for clerical or administrative work such as making copies, sending faxes, or handling paperwork, as long as the charge is reasonable and disclosed before the notarization begins.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Notary Public Fees
Travel is the most common add-on. A mobile notary who comes to your home or office usually charges a flat trip fee or a per-mile rate on top of the notarization fee. Pennsylvania doesn’t cap travel charges, but the notary has to tell you the amount before the trip and you need to agree to it. Many mobile notaries use the IRS standard mileage rate as a baseline, which is 72.5 cents per mile for 2026.3Internal Revenue Service. IRS Sets 2026 Business Standard Mileage Rate at 72.5 Cents per Mile, Up 2.5 Cents
Remote online notarization works the same way. The $5.00 per-act cap still applies to the notarization itself when you appear over live video, but the Department of State has not set a separate maximum for the technology or platform fees that remote providers add on. Online platforms often charge $25 or more per session for identity verification and video infrastructure. Those fees must be disclosed in advance but aren’t limited by statute.
Free Notarization for Veterans and Military Families
Pennsylvania law requires notaries to perform certain services at no charge for veterans, active-duty service members, and the surviving spouses, children, and parents of deceased service members. The exemption covers affidavits and acknowledgments related to military or veterans affairs, including documents filed with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The requirement comes from Title 51, Sections 9101 through 9102 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.4Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Free Notarization of Military and Veterans Affairs Documents
Many notaries, including some at courthouses, aren’t aware of this rule and will charge the standard $5.00 anyway. If you qualify, mention the exemption before the notarization begins.
How to Read Your Receipt
Notaries who charge fees have to display a fee schedule where customers can see it. Notaries without a fixed office must provide their fee schedule to anyone who asks.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 57 Chapter 3 Section 329.1 – Fees of Notaries Public
When you ask for a receipt, the notary must give you an itemized breakdown showing the regulated notarial fee on one line and travel or clerical charges on separate lines. That separation is the quickest way to check whether you were overcharged for the notarization itself, or whether the higher total came from legitimate add-ons. Clerical and administrative fees also have to be itemized separately in the notary’s journal entry for the transaction.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Notary Public Fees
What to Do If You Were Overcharged
Look at the notarial-fee line on your receipt. For a single-name act, it shouldn’t exceed $5.00. If it does, raise it with the notary first. A lot of disputes come from travel or clerical charges being folded into the notarization line rather than listed separately, and a quick conversation often clears it up.
If that doesn’t resolve it, file a complaint with the Department of State’s Professional Compliance Office. You can submit online or download a Statement of Complaint form from the Department’s notary complaint page. To have a form mailed to you, call 1-800-822-2113 within Pennsylvania or 717-783-4849 from elsewhere. Include the notary’s name, the date of service, the amount charged, and a copy of your receipt.5Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Notary Complaint
Charging above the statutory maximum violates Chapter 3 of Title 57. The Department of State can reprimand the notary, suspend or revoke the commission, or impose an administrative penalty of up to $1,000 per violation. A notary who violates the chapter also commits a summary offense punishable on conviction by a fine of up to $1,000.6Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 57 Section 323 – Grounds for Denial, Suspension, or Revocation