OK Notary Notary Fees and Compensation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An employer pays their employee-notary's salary and the notary performs notarizations as part of their job. Who keeps the notary fees collected?
- Always the notary personally
- The employer, unless they authorize the notary to keep them (Correct answer)
- The state must receive a portion
- Fees must be donated to a nonprofit
Correct answer: The employer, unless they authorize the notary to keep them
When a notary acts in the course of employment, fees collected belong to the employer unless the employer grants permission for the notary to keep them.
Question 2: An Oklahoma notary is asked to notarize a document but is unable to complete the act. May they charge a fee?
- Yes, a partial fee for their time
- No, fees may only be charged for completed notarial acts (Correct answer)
- Yes, the full $5 fee regardless
- Only if they traveled to the location
Correct answer: No, fees may only be charged for completed notarial acts
An Oklahoma notary may only charge a fee when a notarial act is successfully completed.
Question 3: A notary charges $5 for an acknowledgment and $5 for a jurat on the same visit. Is this permissible?
- No, only one fee per visit is allowed
- Yes, each is a separate notarial act (Correct answer)
- No, the maximum for any single visit is $5
- Only if both acts are on different documents
Correct answer: Yes, each is a separate notarial act
Because each notarial act (acknowledgment and jurat) is separate, each may be charged the $5 statutory fee.
Question 4: What must an Oklahoma notary provide if requested by the signer regarding fees?
- A written receipt (Correct answer)
- An itemized invoice
- A verbal explanation only
- A refund guarantee
Correct answer: A written receipt
A notary must provide a written receipt for fees if the signer requests one.
Question 5: A government agency instructs its notary employee to charge no fee for public services. Is this permissible?
- No, all notaries must charge the statutory fee
- Yes, employers may set fee policies for their notaries (Correct answer)
- Only if approved by the Secretary of State
- Only for federal documents
Correct answer: Yes, employers may set fee policies for their notaries
Employers, including government agencies, may instruct their notary employees to waive or forgo fees.
Question 6: Which type of Oklahoma notary service typically does NOT involve a fee charged to the signer?
- Loan signing agent services
- Bank employee notarizations for customers (Correct answer)
- Mobile notary for real estate closings
- Independent notary public services
Correct answer: Bank employee notarizations for customers
Banks often provide free notarization to account holders as a customer service, with the bank absorbing the cost.
OK Notary Notary Fees and Compensation 2
An employer pays their employee-notary's salary and the notary performs notarizations as part of their job.
Who keeps the notary fees collected?