Posted by Jane_CA on 2/16/05 7:15pm
Msg #20919

Question about general fees - I live in CA

I am a brand new notary. I had hopes of doing mobile work, but this has not panned out. I have a job working for a financial planner. She says she will be able to use my notarial services from time to time. The address on my license is my HOME address.

The CA handbook lists generally a $10 fee for several things, but I am not sure if this includes notarizing a simple signature.

So, my questions are:
Is it legal for me to charge a fee when I am working for someone else?
If so, would I charge $10 for a simple signature verification?

Just so you all know...I did search the FAQ's for this particular question and didn't find an answer.

Thanks, everyone.

Reply by Korey Humphreys on 2/16/05 7:25pm
Msg #20923

I'm not from CA, so don't hold me to this. I'm from MA.

Here, you can charge the state given fee's for notary services anytime your requested to do it. it doesn't matter whom it's for. If your state allows $10 for a simple signature verification, then I don't see why you couldn't charge whomever requests it from you.

In MA it's only something like 2.50. However, if I travel, or incurr expenses, I may charge what I want (of course reasonably).

========
Korey

Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 2/16/05 9:29pm
Msg #20950

You can charge up to the $10 CA fee for acknowledgements and jurats anytime you perform a notarization.

If your employer did NOT pay for your notary's commission, bond, stamp, and supplies then in my opionion you are self employed as a notary public and may charge and keep the notary fees collected. On the other hand, if your employer DID pay for all that, then your employer can request that you only notarize business documents during business hours and the fees collected can go to your employer.

Talk to your employer and work out an arrangement, and put it in writing! JMHO

Reply by janCA on 2/17/05 10:04am
Msg #21027

Re: CA notary public handbook

Jane, It might be a good idea to study your CA handbook. This will answer your question and many more that you might have about state laws concerning charges for notarizations. This forum is an excellent source, but your best source for state-specific questions is your CA handbook.

Reply by Polly_CA on 2/17/05 2:43pm
Msg #21061

Re: CA notary public handbook

In our handbook it states that you may not charge more than the state max for each particular notarization. (See page 26) You may charge a traveling fee if you are a mobile notary but you CANNOT note that fee in your journal, seeing as how it would exceed the state max for notarial acts.

Reply by Polly_CA on 2/17/05 2:49pm
Msg #21062

Re: CA notary public handbook.... forgot to say...

You may charge your fees and collect them, unless this lady paid for all your notary stuff and you have agreed to work only for her, which I dont think you did. It looks like you are an independant notary, so all of the fees you collect are all yours. Also you only charge for each notarial act not each signature, although each signature does get its own line in your journal.

Reply by JanetK/CA on 2/19/05 2:26am
Msg #21334

Re: CA notary public handbook.... forgot to say...

Actually, Polly, it IS per signature on an acknowledgement, not per notarial act. (See 8211 - Fees) And for a jurat, it is "for administering an oath or affirmation to one person..."