PA Notary Fees & Charges 2

Question 1

A Pennsylvania notary is employed by a law firm and has a written agreement that all notary fees collected during business hours belong to the firm.
The notary is called to a client's home after business hours to notarize a power of attorney.
The notary charges the maximum state fee for the notarial act plus a travel fee.
According to Pennsylvania law, who is presumptively the owner of the notarial fee in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

The notary, because the act was performed outside of the agreed-upon business hours.

Answer

The law firm, because the client belongs to the firm.

Answer

The fee must be split evenly between the notary and the law firm.

Answer

The Department of State, as the fee was collected for an official act.

Question 2

A notary is asked to 'note a protest of a negotiable instrument,' a less common notarial act. The instrument in question is a three-page document. According to the fee schedule set by the Pennsylvania Department of State, what is the maximum fee the notary can charge for this specific notarial act?

Accepted Answer

$9.00

Answer

$5.00

Answer

$15.00

Answer

$3.00

Question 3

A notary charges a client for notarizing a signature and also adds a 'service charge' of $10.00 on the final receipt, which includes the cost of making a photocopy and the time spent on the transaction. Which of the following is a critical requirement for charging such a fee?

Accepted Answer

The client must be informed of the clerical/administrative fee before the notarization, and it must be itemized separately on the receipt and in the journal.

Answer

The service charge cannot exceed the cost of the notarial act.

Answer

The notary must get prior approval from the Department of State for any service charges.

Answer

All service charges are prohibited; only the statutory notarial fee and a travel fee are permitted.

Question 4

A client requests a certified copy of a specific entry from a notary's journal from six months ago. The notary locates the entry and provides the certified copy. What fee is the notary permitted to charge for this service?

Accepted Answer

$5.00 for certifying a copy.

Answer

A 'reasonable' fee determined by the notary for the time and effort.

Answer

No fee, as access to the journal is a public right.

Answer

$10.00, the standard fee for document-related services.

Question 5

A Pennsylvania notary who is authorized to perform remote online notarizations (RON) conducts a notarization for a single electronic document with one signature. What is the maximum fee this notary can charge for this specific notarial act, excluding any administrative fees?

Accepted Answer

$20.00, as specified for electronic notarizations.

Answer

$5.00, the standard fee for a signature.

Answer

$10.00, double the standard fee.

Answer

$25.00, as set by federal guidelines.

Question 6

A notary waives their fee for notarizing a document for a charity event. Which of the following statements is true regarding the notary's obligations in this situation?

Accepted Answer

The notary must still record a $0.00 fee in their journal.

Answer

The notary is exempt from the requirement to post their fee schedule.

Answer

The notary must inform the signer that the standard fee would have been $5.00.

Answer

The notary must obtain a signed waiver from the client acknowledging the free service.