California Notary Fees: What the Law Allows

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By the notaries at Mar Vista Cheap Mobile Notary, commissioned by the California Secretary of State · Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources: California Notary Public Handbook (Secretary of State, 2026), Government Code § 8211, Government Code § 6107, Government Code § 8223, Government Code § 8206

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The fee schedule

Notarial act	Maximum fee
Acknowledgment or proof of a deed or other document (including seal and certificate)	$15 for each signature
Administering an oath or affirmation to one person and executing the jurat	$15
Certifying a copy of a power of attorney (Probate Code § 4307)	$15
All services in connection with taking a deposition	$30, plus $7 to swear the witness and $7 for the certificate
Signatures on vote-by-mail ballot ID envelopes or other voting materials	$0
A U.S. military veteran’s application or claim for a pension, allotment, allowance, compensation, insurance or other veteran’s benefit	$0
Entering client data on immigration forms (only for a notary bonded as an immigration consultant)	$15 per individual for each set of forms

A notary may charge less than the maximum or nothing at all, but never more. Charging more than the law allows is grounds for discipline, including suspension or revocation of the commission.

How “per signature” is counted

• Two people signing one deed = two signatures = up to $30.
• One person signing three separate documents, each with its own acknowledgment = three signatures = up to $45.
• Two copies of the same document, each to be notarized as an original = each copy is charged separately.
• An affidavit sworn to by one person = one jurat = up to $15.

Every notarial act goes in the journal along with the fee charged, even when the notary charges nothing (recorded as “no fee” or “$0”).

Travel fees for mobile notaries

The $15 cap covers the notarial act itself. California law doesn’t set a fee for travel, which is a separate service you agree to when you ask a notary to come to you. The Handbook directs notaries to list travel fees separately in the journal, so you can always see which part of the bill is the state fee and which part is travel.

Our travel fee depends mainly on distance and traffic, the time of day (standard rates apply 8 AM to 7 PM on weekdays; nights, early mornings, weekends and holidays cost more), and the setting (hospitals and correctional facilities carry an added fee). We’ll quote an exact price before we confirm your appointment. Details are on our Policies page.

Immigration forms

A notary who is not an attorney may not charge more than $15 per person for each set of immigration forms, and only a notary who is also registered and bonded as an immigration consultant may enter information on those forms. Notarizing signatures on immigration-related documents is billed at the normal per-signature rates. More: immigration documents and notaries.

Common questions

How much does a notary cost in California?

Up to $15 per signature for an acknowledgment, or $15 per person for a jurat. Mobile notaries add a travel fee for coming to you.

Why does a mobile notary cost more than $15?

The $15 cap applies to the notarization itself. Travel to your home, office or hospital is a separate service, quoted up front and listed separately.

Are notarizations free for veterans in California?

Yes, for applications or claims for veterans’ benefits such as pensions, compensation and insurance (Government Code § 6107).

Can a notary charge per page?

No. California fees are set per signature (acknowledgments) or per person sworn (jurats), not per page. The $0.30 per page amount in the law applies only to copies of journal entries.

Do banks and UPS stores have to notarize for free?

No. Some offer free notarizations to customers as a courtesy, but the law only sets a maximum, not a requirement to provide the service.