Understanding Notary Fees in Pennsylvania

If you've never hired a notary before, you might be wondering what it costs. Pennsylvania has specific laws regulating what notaries can charge, but mobile notary pricing can vary significantly based on travel distance, timing, and services provided.

I'm Christian Nichols, a licensed Pennsylvania notary and mobile signing agent serving Western PA. I believe in transparent pricing with no hidden fees or surprises. Let me explain how notary pricing works in Pennsylvania and what you can expect to pay.

Pennsylvania's Statutory Notary Fees

Pennsylvania law sets maximum fees that notaries can charge for notarial acts. As of 2025, these statutory fees are:

• $5 per signature - Maximum fee for performing a notarial act (acknowledgment, jurat, etc.)
• $5 per oath or affirmation - Maximum fee for administering an oath

These fees apply to the actual notarial act itself - verifying identity, witnessing a signature, and completing the notarial certificate. However, this $5 statutory limit does NOT include:

• Travel fees for mobile notary service
• After-hours or emergency service fees
• Printing or copying documents
• Specialized services like loan signings

Important: Notaries cannot legally charge more than $5 per notarial act, but they can charge separate fees for their time, travel, and other services beyond the notarization itself.

How Mobile Notary Pricing Works

When you hire a mobile notary (like me), you're paying for two distinct things:

1. Notarial Acts ($5 per signature)

The actual notarizations - regulated by state law at $5 per signature/notarial act.

2. Mobile Service Fee (Variable)

The convenience of having a notary come to your location. This covers:

• Travel time to your location
• Gas and vehicle expenses
• Professional time (appointments usually take 30-60 minutes total with travel)
• Scheduling flexibility
• Availability outside normal business hours

Mobile service fees vary by distance, timing, and complexity. They're completely legal and separate from the notarial act fee.

My Zone-Based Pricing Structure

I use transparent zone-based pricing for mobile notary service throughout Western Pennsylvania. Here's how it works:

All zone pricing includes up to 5 notarial acts (signatures). If you have more than 5 signatures, each additional signature is $5.

After-Hours and Emergency Service

Need a notary evenings, weekends, or holidays? I offer flexible scheduling with additional fees for off-hours service:

• Same-day service - No additional fee if within normal hours
• Evening appointments (after 6 PM) - Add $25 to base zone fee
• Weekend appointments - Add $25 to base zone fee
• Holiday service - Add $50 to base zone fee
• Emergency/urgent (under 2 hours notice) - Add $50 to base zone fee

These fees reflect the inconvenience and scheduling complexity of non-standard appointments. Most appointments during normal business hours (9 AM - 6 PM weekdays) have no additional fees.

Loan Signing Agent Services

Real estate loan signings (mortgages, refinances, HELOCs) are more complex than standard notarizations and require specialized certification. Loan signing fees typically include:

• Review of 50-200 pages of loan documents
• Walking borrowers through the closing package
• Notarizing multiple documents (often 10-15 signatures)
• Scanning and returning documents to title company same day
• Travel to borrower's location
• 1.5-2 hours of total professional time

Loan signing fees: $125-$175 depending on loan type, distance, and timing. This covers everything - all signatures, travel, document handling, and return shipping/scanning.

Refinances and HELOCs are typically at the lower end ($125-$150). Purchase closings with multiple borrowers or complex situations may be higher ($150-$175).

What About Free Notary Services?

You might wonder: "Why pay a mobile notary when banks offer free notary service?" Good question. Here's the difference:

Bank Notaries (Often Free)

• Usually free for account holders
• Must go to the bank during business hours
• May have long wait times
• Won't travel to you
• Limited to simple documents (may refuse complex items)
• Can't help with loan signings
• Not available evenings, weekends, or holidays

Mobile Notary (Paid Service)

• Comes to your home, office, hospital, or nursing home
• Available same-day, evenings, and weekends
• No wait time - scheduled appointment
• Handles complex documents and loan signings
• Specialized for real estate, elder care, business needs
• Professional, discrete, and private
• Works around your schedule

Free bank notaries are great for simple documents when you can go during business hours. Mobile notaries are essential when you need convenience, flexibility, or specialized service.

Typical Pricing Examples

Here's what common situations typically cost:

Power of Attorney in Butler, PA
Zone 1 fee ($50) covers 1 signature on POA document. If both financial and healthcare POA (2 signatures), still $50. Total: $50

Vehicle title transfer in Slippery Rock
Zone 1 fee ($50) covers notarizing the power of attorney for title transfer (1 signature). Total: $50

Estate planning documents (3 items) in New Castle
Zone 2 fee ($75) covers will, POA, and healthcare directive (3 signatures). Total: $75

Loan signing in Cranberry Township
Flat rate for refinance loan signing, all inclusive. Total: $125

Emergency notary at hospital in Butler (evening)
Zone 1 fee ($50) + evening fee ($25) for urgent POA signing. Total: $75

Business documents (7 signatures) in Erie
Zone 3 fee ($100) covers first 5 signatures + 2 additional signatures at $5 each. Total: $110

What's Included in My Service

When you hire me as your mobile notary, the fee includes:

• Professional service - Licensed, certified, insured, background-screened
• All notarial acts up to 5 signatures - Within the base zone fee
• Travel to your location - Home, office, hospital, nursing home, anywhere in service area
• All supplies - Notary seal, journal, pens, ink pad
• Proper identification verification - Following Pennsylvania law
• Accurate notarial certificates - Done right the first time
• Professional journal records - Permanent record of notarization
• Flexible scheduling - Usually same-day availability
• No hidden fees - Price quoted is price you pay

Payment Methods

I accept multiple payment methods for your convenience:

• Cash
• Check (payable to Christian Nichols)
• Venmo
• Zelle
• PayPal

Payment is due at the time of service. For loan signings arranged through title companies, the title company pays me directly - you don't pay anything.

Why Choose Archer Notary?

Pricing is important, but so is quality and reliability. Here's what you get with Archer Notary Services:

• Transparent pricing - No surprises, no hidden fees. Price quoted is price you pay.
• Licensed & certified - PA commissioned notary and NNA Certified Signing Agent
• $25,000 E&O insurance - Protection for your important documents
• Background screened - Safe to have in your home or business
• Fast response - Usually same-day service, often within 30 minutes
• Experience - Thousands of successful notarizations across Western PA
• Professional - Discrete, respectful, especially in sensitive situations