Posted by Joseph_CA on 3/21/05 5:09pm
Msg #26749

Rush Hour surcharge

Do you charge extra when they set you an appointment at rush hour?

Sometimes here in Southern CA if you need to go to the other end of the city it takes you more than an hour.

Reply by Joseph_CA on 3/21/05 5:11pm
Msg #26750


I FOUND THIS IN A WEBSITE
Laser Printing – Single Sided (per page) 0.35
Laser Printing – Double Sided (per page) 0.50
Legal Size Printing Surcharge 0.40
Handling (Receiving, Separation, Stapling, etc.) 10.00

Document Delivery to Signer
(includes 30 minute review period by signer) 35.00
Additional review periods (30 minutes)* 20.00

Document Delivery to Requestor
USPS Parcel Post upto 3lbs. ($1.50 /additional lb) 12.50
Fax (per page) 1.00

Expedited Shipping
(add 1 Day for signings completed after 2:00 PM)
Same Day Courier* 65.00
USPS Express Mail upto 3lbs. ($5.00 /additional lb) 30.00
USPS Priority Mail upto 3lbs. ($2.00 /additional lb) 20.00

Notarial Act (per person)
Power & Identity (Oath & Jurat) 10.00
Acknowledgement, Certifying Copies, Protest / Certificate of Dishonor** 10.00
Jurat, Recording of a Protest, Administration of an Oath, Certification of Deposition 5.00
Deposition 20.00

Non-Notarial Signature Verification (Loan Docs Only) 12.50

Travel Time (One-Way), per hour
(minimum one hour) 45.00
Rush-Hour Surcharge
(5 – 9 AM & 4 – 8 PM) 47.50
Night Surcharge
(8 PM – 5 AM) 45.00

Mileage (One-Way), per mile 2.00

On-call Service*** (within 2 hours) 40.00
Sunday Service* 60.00
Holiday Service* 90.00

Prepaid / Term Contract Accounts Varies

Reply by JoJo_MN on 3/21/05 5:21pm
Msg #26752

Does anyone actually charge/pay those fees? If so, I've been way undercharging! I charge $75 for up to 40 miles and add $25 for e-docs. I have SS trying to talk me down with me fees.

Reply by CaliNotary on 3/21/05 10:17pm
Msg #26839

Unless you're in an area with virtually no competition I definitely wouldn't advise fees anywhere close to those. That is WAY over the top.

Reply by Susie/CA on 3/21/05 5:25pm
Msg #26754

Joseph . . 95% of my business is during rush hour! I don't know where you are in CA but here in L.A. county we are saturated with notaries and if you don't take the job someone will! Negotiating is sometimes hard. Try getting to 3 or 4 (sometimes more) signings within a certain time frame during peak L.A. traffic hours! I have 3 tonight! The one good thing is that 2 are somewhat close together so I can knock those off and by that time the freeway should (if there are no accidents!) open up so I can get to the third on time! I do this all the time. I get the majority of my signings between
4-8pm at least from my experience. On the other hand . . this morning I had an 8:00am signing and again I was stuck in traffic! :( In some cities you just can't beat it!

Reply by Becky/KS on 3/21/05 6:29pm
Msg #26774

I am under the impression that Los Angeles notaries are already charging higher fees than the less populated areas of the country to compensate for factors such as traffic. Just the other day I asked for a $85 fee (with e-doc) to go 36miles one way and lost the job.

Reply by Lalas_socal on 3/21/05 6:38pm
Msg #26778

gas has gone up to 2.45 in my area, and I bet will be 3 bucks by mid summer, my rates are going up, free miles are going down, and mileage rate is up too, dont think they wont pay it, I know of companies paying 230.00 per signing(of course they are not easy ones), but we all need to stick together on this and get paid like the professionals that we are. Some lenders are charging 5 or 6 points and brokers fees are 5,000.00 and up?? they can afford to pay what we are worth.

Reply by John_NorCal on 3/21/05 8:41pm
Msg #26805

I'm with you Lalas. Here in the SF Bay Area it's not quite as bad as where you are, but nasty nevertheless!

Reply by missy_socal on 3/21/05 6:31pm
Msg #26776

Plus, it's just so hard to determine exactly how crummy traffic is going to be! When we moved inland, from South OC, I was so surprised at the lack of rhyme or reason to the 91 freeway's congestion.
In OC, you knew what days/times to take side streets, and when the 5 was going to be open. The 91 is completely arbitrary! I just make sure to mapquest using side streets and freeways, and schedule plenty of time between appts.....to preserve my sanity, if nothing else!

Reply by CaliNotary on 3/21/05 10:25pm
Msg #26841

It's the same way with me. When I created my fee schedule I tried to adjust for probable traffic situtations and assumed that the majority of my signings were going to be during peak traffic hours. It's never going to be perfect, but I sure don't want to be a PITA trying to get more money after the fact because I hit traffic.

It takes me twice as long (or even more) to travel to a signing 15 miles south of me than it does to travel to one 15 miles north of me. So my fees will reflect a $20-$30 difference because of that even though the mileage may be the same.

Ultimately I figure what I lose on one signing I'll gain on another. I had one signing today take 15 minutes, I was figuring 45 minutes to an hour.