Fees & Charges Flashcards
6 cards from real PA NOTARY practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Fees & Charges flashcards as text
A Pennsylvania notary is hired by a law firm to notarize a large volume of documents. The firm proposes a contract where the notary is paid a flat monthly salary, and the firm will collect all notarial fees from clients. Under what specific condition is this arrangement permissible?
Answer: If the arrangement is mutually agreed upon in writing between the notary and the employer.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, notarial fees are presumed to be the property of the notary public. However, they can be collected by an employer if there is a mutual agreement between the notary and the employer, which should be in writing to be enforceable.
A notary is asked to travel to a hospital to notarize a power of attorney. The notary charges the maximum state fee for the notarial act, a travel fee based on mileage, and an additional 'special convenience' fee because the notarization is taking place after normal business hours. Which of the following is true regarding this fee structure?
Answer: The 'special convenience' fee is not allowed, but the travel fee is permissible if it's reasonable.
Pennsylvania law allows notaries to charge clerical or administrative fees, which can include travel. These fees are not set by the Department of State but must be reasonable. However, vague fees like 'special convenience' are not explicitly mentioned and could be scrutinized. The key is that any non-statutory fees must be related to actual services provided, like travel, copying, etc., and must be disclosed and agreed upon beforehand. There is no provision for an undefined 'convenience' fee.
A notary performs a verification on oath or affirmation for a document with three signatories. According to the official Pennsylvania fee schedule, what is the maximum fee the notary can charge for this single notarial act?
Answer: $5.00
The Pennsylvania Notary Public fee schedule explicitly states that the fee for 'Taking verification on oath or affirmation' is $5.00, regardless of the number of signatures on the document. This is different from an acknowledgment, which has a separate fee for additional names.
A notary public chooses not to charge any fees for their services. Which of the following requirements are they exempt from?
Answer: Displaying a schedule of fees in their place of business.
Pennsylvania law requires that if a notary charges fees, they must display a fee schedule conspicuously or provide it upon request. However, the law also states that if a notary waives the right to charge a fee, this requirement does not apply. All other standard notarial procedures, such as journaling, ID verification, and stamping, are still required.
When charging a client for both a notarial act and a separate clerical fee for printing documents, what is the correct procedure for documentation in the notary journal?
Answer: Record the notarial fee and the clerical fee in separately itemized entries.
The Pennsylvania Department of State requires that if clerical or administrative fees are charged, they must be separately itemized in the notary journal. This creates a clear record distinguishing the state-regulated notarial fee from other reasonable charges.
A Pennsylvania notary is also an authorized electronic and remote online notary. What is the maximum fee they can charge for a single remote online notarial act, in addition to any administrative fees?
Answer: An amount not to exceed $20 per notarial act.
Pennsylvania regulations that took effect in 2026 allow electronic and remote notaries to charge a fee not to exceed $20 per notarial act performed with respect to electronic records or using communication technology. This is a specific, higher fee allowed for the technology-based service.