How notary fees work in Maryland
Maryland sets the maximum a notary public may charge for each notarial act — the table above shows those caps. Charging above the maximum is a compliance violation, but there is no minimum: many notaries charge less, or waive fees for certain documents. What you may charge for ancillary services (travel, printing, scheduling) is governed separately — see the travel-fee rule above, and always disclose extra charges to the signer in advance.
If you work as a loan signing agent, note that the signing-service fee you receive for a loan package is compensation for the appointment as a whole (travel, printing, handling) — the notarial-act portion is still subject to the per-act caps shown here. Keeping those two amounts separate in your records matters, because in many situations they are treated differently for tax purposes. That split is exactly what a purpose-built record-keeping system handles for you.
Sources
- https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/pages/default.aspx (official, accessed 2026-07-19)
This page is general information about Maryland notary fee rules, last reviewed July 2026. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Verify current requirements with the state's commissioning authority.