Notary Public Invoice Template — Per-Signature, Mobile
Per-signature notarisation, mobile travel, loan signing packages, apostille / authentication. The template includes the regulator-required fields for your commission and journal reference.
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What to itemize on a notary invoice
●Notarisation (per signature, per signer). State maximum varies.
●Mobile / travel fee. Per mile or fixed; jurisdiction-capped in some states.
●Loan signing package. Standard fee for a refi or purchase signing.
●Apostille / authentication processing. Often pass-through to state.
●Witness fee (if you provide). Where signature requires a witness.
●Document prep (NOT legal advice). Where permitted in jurisdiction.
How notary work usually gets billed
Most notarisations are paid on the spot via card or cash.
Loan signings: invoice the title company / signing service per their terms (often net 30-45).
Always reference your commission number and journal entry number — required by most state regulators for compliance.
Tax notes
Notary fees are often capped by state law (e.g., $5-15 per signature in many US states). Mobile travel fees may or may not have caps. The notarial act fee itself is typically exempt from sales tax in many jurisdictions; travel and convenience fees may be taxable.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I charge for notarisation?
State law caps the per-signature fee in most US states. Travel and convenience fees are usually uncapped or have separate caps. Check your state's notary handbook.
Do I invoice loan signings separately?
Yes — a loan signing is a package (often 100-150 signatures + ID checks) with a flat fee. Invoice the title company or signing service per their published rates and terms.
What needs to be on a notary invoice?
Your name, commission number, commission expiry, address. Date of service, document type, signer name, journal entry number. Many state regulators audit notaries — clean records protect you.
Can I charge for 'document prep'?
Depends entirely on your jurisdiction. Notaries are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. Some states allow simple form-filling; others prohibit anything beyond witnessing. Know your local rules.
A sample notary invoice
Realistic, copy-and-paste-ready line items notaries typically use. Service and travel fees vary by state and market, so treat these as a starting point rather than set prices.
●Mobile signing service — real-estate refinance package (per signing, per state schedule): $185
●Notarial acts — 6 acknowledgments + 2 jurats (per-act at state fee: NY $2 + service): $115
●Travel — round trip to client residence, 18 miles (IRS mileage + service area surcharge): $45
●Document delivery — overnight FedEx to title company (label + drop): $35
●After-hours signing — Saturday afternoon signing at title agent's request (50% surcharge over standard rate): $85
●Witness coordination — 1 witness sourced and brought to signing (per state requirement, $25 witness fee + service): $50
●Photo ID verification and journal log (per state notary act requirement): included
Notes: Signing service per state notary commission rules. Notary commission # __ expires __. Errors and Omissions insurance ($25k+) on file. Journal log retained per state retention rules (typically 7-10 years). Net 30 for title agencies and signing services; immediate payment for direct retail signings.
When notaries see the money
Mobile notary work splits sharply by client type. Direct retail signings (homeowners, individuals needing single documents notarised) are pay-on-completion via Venmo, Zelle, or cash — typically $25-50 per visit including travel. Signing services for title companies (DocMagic, ServiceLink, Title365, Mortgage Connect, etc.) are the volume lane: per-signing fees of $75-250 depending on package complexity and state, paid Net 30-45 from the signing service.
Real-estate signings are the bread and butter — refinances, purchases, HELOCs, reverse mortgages. Volumes track interest-rate cycles: low-rate environments mean dozens of signings/week; high-rate environments mean 2-5/week and tight margins. Estate and elder-care signings (advance directives, healthcare proxies, hospice-related documents) pay premium rates because of the home-visit factor and the legal complexity. Direct-to-attorney signings (wills, trusts, transactional documents) pay Net 15-30 from the attorney's trust account.
Five billing mistakes that hold up a notary's pay
●Quoting flat-rate without specifying state-permitted notarial fee caps. Many states cap the per-act notarial fee (NY $2/act, CA $15/act, FL $10/act). The state fee is the per-act cap; the 'service' or 'travel' fee is separate and uncapped. Itemise: 'Notarial fee per state schedule: $X + service/travel: $Y.' Otherwise you're regulatorily exposed.
●Not maintaining a journal log. Most states require a notary journal (NJ, CA, FL, AZ, TX, others). The journal records every notarial act with signer ID, document type, date, fee. Don't skip it — state Bar and Secretary of State audits do happen, and missing journals trigger commission suspension.
●Skipping the photo-ID verification step. Acceptable IDs vary by state (state-issued IDs, military, passports, some accept tribal IDs). The photo on the ID, the description in the journal, and the signer present must match. Notaries who skip ID verification get pulled into civil disputes when fraudulent signings are challenged.
●Forgetting the after-hours and travel surcharge. Saturday evening signings, drive-an-hour signings, signings in nursing homes — these warrant premium rates. State on your fee schedule: 'After-hours (after 5 PM, Sat/Sun): 50% surcharge. Travel beyond 25 miles: $0.65/mile.'
●Working as a signing agent without commission and E&O insurance verified. Signing services routinely audit your commission expiration date, your E&O policy, your NNA background check, and your state-specific credentialing. Missing any of these gets you removed from their rotation. Set calendar reminders 60 days before each renewal.
US tax notes for notaries
Notarial services are non-taxable in nearly every state (regulated professional service). The exceptions are Hawaii, where the general excise tax reaches them, and Washington, which applies its B&O tax. Most notaries never trigger sales tax. The unique tax issue: the per-act notarial fee set by state is income to you (taxed federally), but the 'service' fee structure varies — some signing services include it, some don't. Track every signing's revenue breakdown for accurate income reporting.
Federal: 1099-NEC at $600 from every signing service or attorney. Most notaries are 1099 contractors. Notary deductibles: commission and bond fees, E&O insurance, NNA membership and background-check fees, state-specific credentialing (loan-signing certification, etc.), mileage to signings (IRS standard rate or actual expense), home-office deduction for journal storage and document handling, and the under-claimed line — printer and printer paper (high-quality printer essential for refinance packages; expensive per-page laser printing is a real cost), shipping/FedEx accounts (most refi packages ship overnight), and journal log books (state-compliant journals from approved vendors).
Not tax advice — confirm specifics with your CPA or state department of revenue.
A few more questions notaries ask
Can I add a 'travel time' line for a mobile signing?
Yes — separate from mileage. Travel time at a discounted hourly rate ('Travel rate $25/hr') compensates for time spent driving rather than signing. Mileage at IRS rate or your state's reimbursement schedule covers vehicle cost. Two lines. Don't fold travel into the signing fee — signing services audit and want to see the breakdown.
How do I invoice signing services that pay slowly?
Most signing services pay Net 30-45 from the signing date. Track every assignment in a spreadsheet with the assigned-pay-date, follow up at day 35, escalate at day 45. The signing-service contracts usually allow penalty fees for non-payment beyond their stated terms; reference them in escalation emails. Some notaries decline new assignments from chronically slow payers.
Should I notarise documents I have personal interest in?
No — and it's grounds for commission suspension in every state. You cannot notarise documents where you're a party, where you're a beneficiary (will, trust, deed transferring to you), where your spouse or close family is involved. Recuse and refer to another notary. State this policy publicly on your signing acceptance form.
How do I bill for a signing that the borrower cancels at the door?
Apply your cancellation policy. Standard structure: more than 4 hours' notice — no charge; 2-4 hours' notice — trip charge only ($25-50); less than 2 hours' notice or at-door cancellation — 50% of the signing fee. State on your acceptance form and email the borrower to confirm before the appointment.
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