A notary does not have a set price. It can vary from state and also on many other factors such as travel fees and remote notarization. Generally, it can cost around $15.
What is a notary?
A notary is a person who is appointed by the state officer and is expected to take care of the legal documents. He is an unbiased witness who oversees all legal documents and agreements.
You will come across the need for a notary when you will be signing any property deals, affidavits, transfer of power of attorney, and pretty much any legal documentation.
The need to notarize your document?
Let’s get this out of the way. Why do you even need a notary? When it comes to legal documents there can be many loopholes. There are many chances that you are going to face any kind of fraud. Any fraud while dealing with signing paperwork can cost you a fortune.
That’s when the notary comes in to make sure that all the documents are legal and authorized. He makes sure that they show the independent will of the parties to sign the document.
A notary minimizes the chances of any forgery. Once he makes sure that the process is crystal clear, he proceeds with giving the notary certificate with the seal ensuring that this deal was witnessed by a notary.
Costs in different states
even though notary is a necessary step and is practiced in every state, still the costs may vary. Many factors play a role in determining the cost of a notary. The place you live, how many signatures does the document content, and how many documents you are getting signed.
For example, in one state it can be as low as $5 and one can go up to $15. Some states regulate the fee schedule while some states like Alaska, Vermont, and Lowa do not have any law that determines the cost you have to pay while getting a notary.
Costs of travel
It does not always happen that the notary is in your state. The notary has to travel to you to get the job done.
Some states cost you by mileage and some set the cost according to guild lines of the department of admin. For example, for one state it can be $30 for 5 miles or less and it will increase accordingly. So in short there is no one-way set price.
Jurats
You may be familiar with the term when it comes to getting a notary signed. It can be referred to as the swearing of the signing person in front of the notary person.
This usually happens when you need to sign legal documents. This can cost you around $5 to $10 depending on how many people are appearing in front of the notary.
Remote notarization
This is not applicable in all states just a few. Due to the changing circumstances because of the pandemic, people are turning towards remote notarization, where all the work is done online. It can cost about $15.
Online notary
People are changing ways of getting their documents notarized. It is often referred to as remote online notarization.
It can save up a lot of time and ensures minimized chances of fraud and overall makes the whole process easy. Generally, the cost of RON can go up to $25. Even if you go minimum low, you will still have to pay for the application fee and the tools.
Ways to save notarizing costs
No need to worry. There are ways by which you can save money. Here are some of the ways which can save you a few dollars.
Travel fees
It is nothing more than an additional fee. You can cut down on it. You should be finding a local notary who can do the job. There will be no difference in the local or the one you will be paying travel fees.
Discounts
If you are someone, who is getting documents notarized now and then then you can look for discounts.
Look for options
Before you decide, which notary you are choosing make sure that you do a survey of the market and get the best prices.
Final Verdict
Notarizing documents has now become the new norm and you might come across this procedure sooner and later so it’s better to know what you are getting into.
The prices will vary so make sure you get a good look at the market so that you get a good price.
How much does a notary cost?
It can cost anywhere between $15 to $100.
Is it necessary to get a notary?
Yes, some legal procedures do require documents certified by a notary.
