Don't Get Ripped off by a Notary Public
A notary public witnesses the signing of legal documents and is allowed to charge fees for attesting his signature to and afixing his official notary stamp onto the documents. They are representatives of the state and are thereby bound to uphold the laws of that state.
A notary who violates the oath of his office is required to be removed from office by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the notary public resides. ORC 147.03
Ohio very clearly defines what a notary public may charge for his/her services. The fees are a tad more complex than those listed below but this is a fair guideline. Additional fees are rare (unless you are a practicing attorney) and are usually only attatched to lenghty or more complicated legal documents. It is fair to charge no more than $0.10 per 100 words for longer documents- yes, you read that correctly, a dime for every 100 words is legal. Therefore a 2000 word document should cost no more than $2.00.
Ohio Notary FeesAcknowledgments $2.00
Jurats $1.50
Oaths & Affirmations $1.00
Protests $1.00 plus actual expenses
An Ohio mobile notary may charge any travel fee they feel is appropriate. This can include milage, rushes and time of day (weekends or after hours) expenses the notary has incurred or honestly deserves.
Did you know that these fees are per notarial act, and are not cumulative? If there are four signers in a single notary certificate, the notary cannot charge four separate fees!!
A very nice document is included here, written in the The Citator: The official newsletter of the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio about the Do's and Dont's as a notary.
In the State of Ohio, a reputable and honest notary cannot and will not be able to earn a living doing just notarizing documents. Being aware of the legalities of this often necessary service can save much trouble and expense.
P.S.
When you have gone to a business or person to have a signature notarized travel fees do not apply. However, when a notary has to come to you or meet you somewhere, it is legal and acceptable to be expect to compensate that professional for his/her time, milage and services (travel fees). These fees should be discussed up front.
Did you know that these fees are per notarial act, and are not cumulative? If there are four signers in a single notary certificate, the notary cannot charge four separate fees!!
A very nice document is included here, written in the The Citator: The official newsletter of the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio about the Do's and Dont's as a notary.
In the State of Ohio, a reputable and honest notary cannot and will not be able to earn a living doing just notarizing documents. Being aware of the legalities of this often necessary service can save much trouble and expense.
P.S.
When you have gone to a business or person to have a signature notarized travel fees do not apply. However, when a notary has to come to you or meet you somewhere, it is legal and acceptable to be expect to compensate that professional for his/her time, milage and services (travel fees). These fees should be discussed up front.
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