OH Notary - Ohio Notary Notary Journal and Fees Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Ohio law, what is the maximum fee a notary public can charge for a single, traditional (in-person, paper) notarial act?
- $2.00
- $5.00 (Correct answer)
- $10.00
- A reasonable amount agreed to by the signer.
Correct answer: $5.00
Ohio Revised Code 147.08(A)(1) explicitly states that a notary public is entitled to a fee of up to five dollars for any notarial act that is not an online notarization. Fees are charged per notarial act, not per signature.
Question 2: An Ohio notary travels to a local hospital to notarize a power of attorney for a patient. The notary performs one notarial act (an acknowledgment). The notary and the patient agreed beforehand to a $20 travel fee. What is the maximum total amount the notary can legally charge?
- $5.00, as travel fees are not permitted.
- $20.00, as the travel fee includes the notarial act.
- $30.00, which is the maximum for an online notarization.
- $25.00, consisting of the notarial act fee plus the agreed-upon travel fee. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: $25.00, consisting of the notarial act fee plus the agreed-upon travel fee.
Per Ohio Revised Code 147.08, a notary may charge up to $5.00 for a traditional notarial act. Additionally, a notary may charge a reasonable travel fee if the notary and the principal agree to it prior to the notarial act. Therefore, the total charge is the $5.00 maximum fee for the act plus the $20.00 agreed-upon travel fee, totaling $25.00.
Question 3: Which of the following statements is true regarding the use of a notary journal in Ohio?
- A journal is required for all notarial acts, both traditional and online.
- A journal is not required for any type of notarial act, but is recommended.
- An electronic journal is mandatory for online notarizations, but a physical journal is not required for traditional notarizations. (Correct answer)
- A journal is only required for notarizations involving real estate transactions.
Correct answer: An electronic journal is mandatory for online notarizations, but a physical journal is not required for traditional notarizations.
Ohio Revised Code 147.65 mandates that an online notary public must maintain an electronic journal for all online notarizations. However, Ohio law does not require notaries to keep a journal for traditional (in-person, paper) notarizations, although it is strongly recommended as a best practice by the Secretary of State.
Question 4: An online notary public's commission expires and they do not renew it. According to Ohio law, what must the former notary do with their electronic journal?
- Delete the journal and all associated recordings after one year.
- Keep the journal indefinitely in their personal possession.
- Transmit the journal to the Secretary of State or an approved repository. (Correct answer)
- Transfer the journal to their former employer for safekeeping.
Correct answer: Transmit the journal to the Secretary of State or an approved repository.
Ohio Revised Code 147.66(E)(1)(a) requires that upon resignation, revocation, or expiration without renewal of an online notary commission, the notary must transmit the electronic journal to the Secretary of State or a repository approved by the Secretary of State. The journal is then maintained for a period of ten years.
Question 5: Which of the following pieces of information is an Ohio online notary public required to record in their electronic journal for every online notarization?
- The signer's Social Security number.
- The full name and address of each principal. (Correct answer)
- The notary's personal opinion of the signer's character.
- A photograph of the signer's entire face.
Correct answer: The full name and address of each principal.
Ohio Revised Code 147.65(B) lists the mandatory information for an electronic journal entry. This includes the printed full name and address of each principal (signer). The same statute explicitly prohibits recording a Social Security number.
Question 6: A notary public performs traditional, in-person notarizations at their small business office. Regarding the fees they charge, what is a best practice recommended by notary ethics, even if not explicitly required for all business types by statute?
- Charging different fees based on the signer's perceived ability to pay.
- Offering a discount for notarizing multiple signatures on a single document.
- Keeping all fees in a separate bank account.
- Conspicuously displaying a schedule of fees for all allowed notarial acts. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Conspicuously displaying a schedule of fees for all allowed notarial acts.
While not universally mandated by a single Ohio statute for every business setting, it is a widely accepted best practice and a requirement in some states for notaries to display a schedule of their fees. This promotes transparency and ensures the signer is aware of the costs before the notarial act, which aligns with the principle of agreeing to travel fees in advance under ORC 147.08. Charging different fees based on ability to pay is discriminatory, and while fees are charged per act not per signature, offering discounts is a business choice, not a required practice. There is no law about separate bank accounts.
OH Notary - Ohio Notary Notary Journal and Fees Questions and Answers
According to Ohio law, what is the maximum fee a notary public can charge for a single, traditional (in-person, paper) notarial act?