Notary prices in PA — the fees a Pennsylvania notary public can charge — are set by state statute. You can't charge whatever the market will bear; there are statutory maximums for each notarial act. Understanding these fee limits is essential whether you're a notary setting your fee schedule, a business hiring notary services, or a consumer trying to understand what you should pay.
This guide covers Pennsylvania's current notary fee structure, what acts you can charge for, what the limits are for electronic and remote online notarization, and common questions about fees in specific contexts.
Under Pennsylvania's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), notaries public may charge fees for notarial acts up to the following maximums (as established by the Department of State):
These are maximums, not mandatory rates. Notaries can charge less than the maximum — including providing free notarizations — but cannot charge more per act. Some employers, banks, and public libraries provide notary services at no charge as a customer service. That's legal; going above the statutory maximum is not.
Travel fees are not regulated by the notary fee schedule. If a notary travels to you, they may charge a separate travel fee in addition to the per-act fee. This should be disclosed and agreed upon in advance. Travel fees vary widely and are negotiated between the notary and client.
Pennsylvania authorized Remote Online Notarization (RON) in 2020. RON allows notaries to perform notarizations via audio-video technology with signers who are in a different physical location. The fee structure for RON differs from in-person notarization:
Pennsylvania allows notaries performing RON to charge up to $25 per notarial act performed via remote online notarization. This is significantly higher than the $5 maximum for in-person acts, reflecting the technology costs, platform fees, and credential analysis required for remote sessions.
This $25 maximum applies regardless of which RON platform is used. The platform itself may charge the notary a separate fee for using its technology — that cost is the notary's business expense, not an additional charge to the signer above the $25 cap.
Yes. Travel fees are separate from notarial act fees and not capped by the notary fee schedule. A mobile notary — one who travels to clients — typically charges a travel fee that reflects mileage, time, and scheduling convenience. Common approaches include:
Mobile notary pricing in Pennsylvania varies considerably by region. In urban areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where demand is high and competition exists, rates may be more standardized. In rural areas, travel fees may be higher due to greater distances.
Always establish travel fees clearly before the appointment. A client who agrees verbally to notary services without discussing travel fees may dispute the total charge afterward. Get confirmation of the fee structure before traveling.
Pennsylvania law is specific about what constitutes a notarial act — and notaries cannot charge notary fees for services that aren't notarial acts. Common examples of services that are NOT notarial acts (and therefore can't be charged under the notary fee schedule) include:
Notaries who also offer these services as a separate business can charge for them — but those charges must be clearly separate from notary fees, and the notary must ensure they're not engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
Different settings have different norms around notary pricing in PA:
Many Pennsylvania banks offer free notary services for their customers — and sometimes for the general public. This is a competitive service offering, not a legal requirement. If you need a simple document notarized, checking with your bank first is often the fastest and cheapest option. Call ahead to confirm a notary is available; many branches have limited notary hours.
UPS Store locations in Pennsylvania typically offer notary services at or near the statutory maximum of $5 per signature. They're consistent, widely available, and don't require a prior relationship. Wait times vary by location and time of day.
Law offices often notarize documents as part of broader legal services, and the notarization may be included in a larger service fee rather than charged separately. For simple standalone notarizations, attorney offices may charge the statutory rate plus an administrative fee, or they may only notarize for clients with an existing attorney-client relationship.
Mobile notaries in Pennsylvania charge the statutory per-act fee plus a travel fee. For real estate closings, loan signings, and other multi-signature document packages, the total charge often works out to a flat package rate that bundles the per-act fees and travel into one quoted price. Rates for loan signing agents (who handle mortgage documents) often run $75–$200 per closing, depending on complexity and location — though this includes multiple notarial acts and specialized expertise beyond basic notarization.
Some hospitals and nursing facilities have staff notaries available for patient documents (wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives). These services are often free or at minimal cost as a patient service. If you're arranging documents for an elderly or incapacitated relative, call the facility's social work department to ask about notary availability.
Pennsylvania notaries must maintain a journal of notarial acts. While notaries are not required to provide itemized fee receipts automatically, it's good practice — and often expected for professional notaries — to provide a receipt upon request or for any service where a fee is charged. This protects both the notary and the client if questions arise later.
The journal must record the date and time, type of notarial act, whether identification was verified and how, the name of the signer, the fee charged (if any), and any other information required by Pennsylvania law. Proper record-keeping isn't just a legal obligation — it's essential protection if the validity of a notarization is ever questioned.
If you're a commissioned Pennsylvania notary setting up your fee schedule, here are practical considerations:
Stay at or below the statutory maximum. The $5 per-act cap is not optional. Exceeding it exposes you to complaints to the Department of State and potential commission revocation.
Decide on your travel fee structure before you advertise. Mobile notary services are a business — establish and communicate your rates clearly. Having a published rate sheet prevents misunderstandings.
Consider your market. If you're offering RON services, $25 per act is the maximum, but market rates vary. Some RON providers compete on price; others compete on availability and speed of service.
Be consistent. Charging different rates for the same service based on the client or their apparent ability to pay (other than using the fee schedule's maximum as a ceiling) can create professional and legal complications.
Before you can charge notary fees in Pennsylvania, you need to be a commissioned notary. The current process requires:
The exam covers Pennsylvania notary law, notarial acts, record-keeping requirements, prohibited conduct, and the responsibilities of the notarial role. Understanding the fee schedule and what you can legally charge is a core exam topic — because errors here can result in complaints and commission issues.
Notary prices in PA are straightforward — $5 per in-person act, $25 per RON act, with travel fees negotiated separately. What trips up notaries isn't usually the fee schedule itself, but failing to communicate rates clearly, not keeping proper journals, or misunderstanding what services qualify as notarial acts versus services that would constitute unauthorized practice of law.
If you're preparing for the Pennsylvania notary exam, fee rules are a tested topic. Understanding both the statutory limits and the practical implications — what you can and can't charge for, how to handle travel fees, and how to maintain proper records — is exactly the kind of knowledge the exam assesses.
Practice tests are one of the best ways to prepare for the PA notary exam. They cover the range of topics — from fee schedules to notarial act types to record-keeping requirements — that you'll encounter on test day.