IL-Notary Maximum Allowable Fees and Fee Schedule Display Flashcards

Under the Illinois Notary Public Act, what is the maximum fee a notary may charge for a single in-person notarial act?

Answer: $5

Illinois law caps the fee for each in-person notarial act at $5.

A client asks an Illinois notary to notarize three separate documents at the same appointment. What is the maximum the notary may legally charge in total?

Answer: $15 for the entire appointment

The $5 maximum applies per notarial act, so three acts may be charged at up to $5 each, totaling $15.

Which Illinois statute establishes the maximum allowable fees for notarial acts?

Answer: Illinois Notary Public Act (5 ILCS 312)

Fee limits for Illinois notaries are set by the Illinois Notary Public Act, codified at 5 ILCS 312.

An Illinois notary charges $8 for a single acknowledgment. This is:

Answer: A violation of the maximum fee provision

Charging more than $5 per notarial act violates the Illinois Notary Public Act's maximum fee provision regardless of signer consent.

Which of the following notarial acts is subject to a higher maximum fee of $25 in Illinois?

Answer: Remote online notarizations

Illinois allows a maximum fee of $25 per act for remote online notarizations (RON) due to the added technology costs.

An Illinois notary performs a jurat for a signer. The notary may charge a maximum of:

Answer: $5

A jurat is a standard in-person notarial act, and the maximum fee per act is $5 under Illinois law.

May an Illinois notary charge less than the statutory maximum fee?

Answer: Yes, a notary may charge any amount up to the statutory maximum or perform the act for free

The statute sets a ceiling, not a floor; notaries are free to charge less or nothing at all.

Where must an Illinois notary who charges fees display their fee schedule?

Answer: In a conspicuous place in the area where notarial acts are performed

Illinois law requires that a notary's fee schedule be conspicuously posted in the area where the notary performs acts.

A notary performs all notarizations from a mobile location with no fixed office. What does Illinois law require regarding the fee schedule in this situation?

Answer: The fee schedule must be shown to the signer upon request before performing the act

When there is no fixed posting location, an Illinois notary must make the fee schedule available to the signer before performing the notarial act.

An Illinois notary who does NOT charge a fee for notarial acts:

Answer: Is not required to post a fee schedule

The fee schedule posting requirement applies only to notaries who charge fees; those who notarize for free have no posting obligation.

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the fee schedule display requirement?

Answer: To ensure signers are informed of costs before the notarization occurs

Requiring visible fee schedules gives signers transparency about costs so they can make informed decisions before proceeding.

What maximum fee may an Illinois notary charge to notarize a document using remote online notarization (RON) technology?

Answer: $25

Illinois law permits a maximum fee of $25 per act for remote online notarizations to account for technology and platform costs.

A signer pays an Illinois notary $5 for an acknowledgment and then requests a certified copy. The notary performs both acts. What is the maximum total charge?

Answer: $10 total, as each notarial act has its own $5 cap

Each distinct notarial act carries its own $5 maximum, so two acts may be charged up to $10 combined.

Can an Illinois notary add a separate 'travel fee' on top of the $5 per-act maximum?

Answer: Travel fees are not addressed in the Notary Public Act, so notaries should consult local counsel before charging them

The Illinois Notary Public Act addresses only the per-act fee; travel or convenience charges are not expressly authorized or prohibited, so notaries should seek legal guidance.

A signer tips an Illinois notary $20 above the $5 fee for exceptional service. Is this permissible?

Answer: Yes, voluntary tips are not notarial fees and are not capped by the statute

The $5 cap applies to fees charged for performing notarial acts; a voluntary gratuity freely given by the signer is not a notarial fee under the statute.

An employer pays an Illinois notary a salary to notarize documents as part of their job duties. The employer then charges clients $20 per notarization. Is this permissible?

Answer: No, the employer cannot charge clients more than $5 per notarial act

The $5 maximum applies to the fee charged for the notarial act itself regardless of who collects it; an employer routing fees through a salary structure cannot circumvent the cap.

What is the consequence for an Illinois notary who repeatedly overcharges for notarial acts?

Answer: Possible revocation or suspension of the notary commission by the Secretary of State

The Secretary of State may revoke or suspend a notary's commission for misconduct including charging fees in excess of the statutory maximum.

Under Illinois law, which government officer has authority to set or change the maximum allowable notary fee?

Answer: The Illinois General Assembly by amending the Notary Public Act

Fee maximums are set by statute; only the Illinois General Assembly can amend the Notary Public Act to change those limits.

A notary's posted fee schedule lists $5 for acknowledgments but verbally quotes $10 to a signer. The signer pays $10. The notary has:

Answer: Violated the fee maximum by collecting more than $5 per act

Collecting $10 for a single in-person notarial act exceeds the $5 statutory cap regardless of verbal agreement or what was posted.

An Illinois notary is asked to certify a true copy of a document. The maximum fee for this notarial act is:

Answer: $5, the same as all in-person notarial acts

Certifying a true copy is an in-person notarial act subject to the same $5 per-act maximum as other standard acts.