MS Notary Notary Fees and Compensation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Mississippi Secretary of State rules, what is the maximum fee a notary may charge for a standard notarial act?
- $5 per notarial act (Correct answer)
- $10 per notarial act
- $2 per notarial act
- $25 per notarial act
Correct answer: $5 per notarial act
Mississippi caps the fee for a traditional notarial act at $5.
Question 2: A Mississippi notary is asked to notarize three separate acknowledgments on three documents for one client. How should fees be calculated?
- Up to the maximum fee for each separate notarial act performed (Correct answer)
- One flat fee covering all documents signed in one visit
- A fee based on the total page count of the documents
- No fee, because multiple acts must be bundled for free
Correct answer: Up to the maximum fee for each separate notarial act performed
Each distinct notarial act may be charged separately up to the statutory maximum.
Question 3: May a Mississippi notary perform a notarization free of charge?
- Yes, charging a fee is optional and may be waived (Correct answer)
- No, the maximum fee must always be collected
- Only for immediate family members
- Only with written approval from the Secretary of State
Correct answer: Yes, charging a fee is optional and may be waived
The statutory fee is a maximum, not a requirement, so a notary may charge less or nothing.
Question 4: A Mississippi notary wants to charge a client for driving 30 miles to a signing. What is required?
- The travel charge must be agreed to by the client in advance and kept separate from the notarial fee (Correct answer)
- Travel charges are always prohibited in Mississippi
- Travel may be billed afterward at the notary's discretion
- Travel must be billed as part of the $5 notarial fee
Correct answer: The travel charge must be agreed to by the client in advance and kept separate from the notarial fee
Travel fees are permitted only when disclosed and agreed upon before the service, separate from the notarization fee.
Question 5: What is the best practice regarding fee disclosure before performing a notarization in Mississippi?
- Inform the client of the fee before performing the notarial act (Correct answer)
- Disclose the fee only if the client asks
- Announce the fee after the act is complete
- Fees never need to be disclosed
Correct answer: Inform the client of the fee before performing the notarial act
Fees should be communicated up front so the client can consent before the act is performed.
Question 6: A Mississippi notary charges $15 for a single acknowledgment. What is the likely consequence?
- Disciplinary action by the Secretary of State for exceeding the fee cap (Correct answer)
- Nothing, because notaries set their own prices
- An automatic felony conviction
- The client must pay but may request a rebate
Correct answer: Disciplinary action by the Secretary of State for exceeding the fee cap
Charging more than the allowed maximum is grounds for administrative discipline against the notary's commission.
Question 7: Which of the following is a legitimate way for a Mississippi notary to document fees collected?
- Recording the fee charged in the notary's journal entry for the act (Correct answer)
- Keeping fees only in memory
- Reporting fees monthly to the county sheriff
- Filing each fee receipt with the chancery clerk
Correct answer: Recording the fee charged in the notary's journal entry for the act
Noting the fee in the journal creates a reliable record of what was charged for each act.
MS Notary Notary Fees and Compensation 2
Under Mississippi Secretary of State rules, what is the maximum fee a notary may charge for a standard notarial act?