Massachusetts Notary Fees — What Notaries Can Charge (MA)

Maximum notary fees in Massachusetts

State-set maximums — notaries may always charge less, and many do.

Notarial act	Maximum fee
Acknowledgment	No statutory maximum
Jurat	No statutory maximum
Oath / affirmation	No statutory maximum
Copy certification	No statutory maximum

Informational reference only — not legal advice. Notary fee laws change, and states differ in how fees apply (per act, per signature, or per certificate). Last reviewed July 2026. Always confirm current rules with your state's commissioning authority before setting your fees.

Key rules at a glance

Fees set by

No cap in statute for general notarial acts (M.G.L. c. 222, sec 16); a narrow $1.25-$2.00 fee cap under M.G.L. c. 262, sec 41 applies only to protest of a dishonored negotiable instrument

Remote online notarization

Permitted — RON authorized by statute but as of early 2026 the Secretary of the Commonwealth had not issued the required registration/training system; notaries advised to hold off performing RON until implemented

Travel fees

Not addressed by statute; unregulated, set by agreement

Commission term

7 years

Worth knowing: One of roughly 10 states with no general fee cap; market rates commonly run $5-$25 per signature. No fee may be charged to notarize an absentee ballot or a veteran's benefit application.

Charging the right fee is step one — keeping the records is the job.

The Notary & Loan Signing Agent Business Tracker logs every signing, fee, mile and expense — with notarial-act fees tracked separately from travel and signing-service income — so your year-end numbers are ready without the scramble.

View the Notary Business Tracker →

Or try the free notary mileage & fee tools →

How notary fees work in Massachusetts

Massachusetts 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://www.mass.gov/info-details/mass-general-laws-c222-ss-16 (official, accessed 2026-07-19)
https://legalclarity.org/massachusetts-notary-fees-regulations-and-guidelines/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-19)

This page is general information about Massachusetts notary fee rules, last reviewed July 2026. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Verify current requirements with the state's commissioning authority.

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