IL Notary IL-Notary Maximum Allowable Fees and Fee Schedule Display — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Under the Illinois Notary Public Act, what is the maximum fee a notary may charge for a single in-person notarial act?

$1
$5 (Correct answer)
$10
$25

Correct answer: $5

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

Question 2: 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?

$5 for the entire appointment
$10 for the entire appointment
$15 for the entire appointment (Correct answer)
$25 for the entire appointment

Correct 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.

Question 3: Which Illinois statute establishes the maximum allowable fees for notarial acts?

Illinois Business Corporation Act
Illinois Notary Public Act (5 ILCS 312) (Correct answer)
Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
Illinois Consumer Fraud Act

Correct 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.

Question 4: An Illinois notary charges $8 for a single acknowledgment. This is:

Permissible if the signer agrees in writing
Permissible only for bilingual services
A violation of the maximum fee provision (Correct answer)
Permissible for notaries with more than 5 years of experience

Correct 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.

Question 5: Which of the following notarial acts is subject to a higher maximum fee of $25 in Illinois?

Acknowledgments performed for senior citizens
Remote online notarizations (Correct answer)
Notarizations performed outside of business hours
Notarizations involving real estate documents

Correct answer: Remote online notarizations

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

Question 6: An Illinois notary performs a jurat for a signer. The notary may charge a maximum of:

$1
$5 (Correct answer)
$15
$25

Correct answer: $5

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

Question 7: May an Illinois notary charge less than the statutory maximum fee?

No, charging less is considered unlawful price manipulation
Yes, a notary may charge any amount up to the statutory maximum or perform the act for free (Correct answer)
Only if the Secretary of State grants a waiver
Only for government employees

Correct 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.

Question 8: Where must an Illinois notary who charges fees display their fee schedule?

Only on their notary seal
In a conspicuous place in the area where notarial acts are performed (Correct answer)
In a sealed envelope provided to the Secretary of State
On a website registered with the state

Correct 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.

Question 9: 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?

No fee schedule is required for mobile notaries
The fee schedule must be shown to the signer upon request before performing the act (Correct answer)
The fee schedule must be filed only with the county clerk
Mobile notaries are prohibited from charging any fee

Correct 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.

Question 10: An Illinois notary who does NOT charge a fee for notarial acts:

Must still post a fee schedule showing $0
Is not required to post a fee schedule (Correct answer)
Must file a fee waiver annually with the Secretary of State
Must charge at least $1 to comply with the fee schedule display requirement

Correct 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.

Question 11: Which of the following best describes the purpose of the fee schedule display requirement?

To allow the state to collect a percentage of notary fees
To ensure signers are informed of costs before the notarization occurs (Correct answer)
To prevent notaries from working in multiple counties
To standardize the font size used on notary seals

Correct 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.

Question 12: What maximum fee may an Illinois notary charge to notarize a document using remote online notarization (RON) technology?

$5
$10
$15
$25 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $25

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

Question 13: 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?

$5 total, since the signer already paid
$10 total, as each notarial act has its own $5 cap (Correct answer)
$15 total, because a certified copy counts as two acts
$25 total, because certified copies use electronic processes

Correct 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.

Question 14: Can an Illinois notary add a separate 'travel fee' on top of the $5 per-act maximum?

Yes, travel fees are expressly allowed and unlimited
Yes, but the travel fee may not exceed $5
Travel fees are not addressed in the Notary Public Act, so notaries should consult local counsel before charging them (Correct answer)
No, only the per-act fee is authorized under the Illinois Notary Public Act

Correct 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.

Question 15: A signer tips an Illinois notary $20 above the $5 fee for exceptional service. Is this permissible?

Yes, voluntary tips are not notarial fees and are not capped by the statute (Correct answer)
No, any payment above $5 violates the fee maximum
Yes, but only if the notary reports the tip to the Secretary of State
No, notaries must refuse all additional compensation

Correct 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.

Question 16: 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?

Yes, because the notary personally receives only a salary, not a fee
No, the employer cannot charge clients more than $5 per notarial act (Correct answer)
Yes, employers are exempt from Illinois notary fee limits
No, only licensed attorneys may charge more than $5 for notarizations

Correct 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.

Question 17: What is the consequence for an Illinois notary who repeatedly overcharges for notarial acts?

A written warning with no further penalty for first-time violations
Possible revocation or suspension of the notary commission by the Secretary of State (Correct answer)
A mandatory fee refund only, with no other penalty
Automatic referral to the Illinois Bar Association

Correct 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.

Question 18: Under Illinois law, which government officer has authority to set or change the maximum allowable notary fee?

The Governor by executive order
The Illinois General Assembly by amending the Notary Public Act (Correct answer)
The Secretary of State by administrative rule
The State Treasurer by fee schedule publication

Correct 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.

Question 19: A notary's posted fee schedule lists $5 for acknowledgments but verbally quotes $10 to a signer. The signer pays $10. The notary has:

Complied with the law because the posted schedule was accurate
Violated the fee maximum by collecting more than $5 per act (Correct answer)
Complied with the law because the signer agreed to pay $10
Committed a crime requiring immediate arrest

Correct 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.

Question 20: An Illinois notary is asked to certify a true copy of a document. The maximum fee for this notarial act is:

$1, because copy certifications are a lesser service
$5, the same as all in-person notarial acts (Correct answer)
$10, because copying incurs additional effort
$25, equivalent to a remote online notarization

Correct 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.

Question 21: If an Illinois notary's fee schedule is not conspicuously posted but the notary is charging fees, this failure is best characterized as:

A minor administrative oversight with no legal significance
A potential violation of the Illinois Notary Public Act's fee disclosure requirements (Correct answer)
Permissible if the signer signs a fee waiver
Grounds for immediate criminal prosecution

Correct answer: A potential violation of the Illinois Notary Public Act's fee disclosure requirements

Failing to post a fee schedule when charging fees violates the transparency requirements of the Illinois Notary Public Act and may constitute misconduct.

IL Notary IL-Notary Maximum Allowable Fees and Fee Schedule Display

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

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Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

ilsos.gov — Renewal, score validity, fees · verified Oct 2026
ilga.gov — Time limit, exam format, passing score, retake policy, eligibility · verified Oct 2026