Can a notary charge more than $8 per notarial act (per signature) in Maryland?

For the notarial act itself, no — Maryland caps it at $8 per notarial act (per signature). A mobile notary may add a separate travel/convenience fee, which is not the notarial fee and must be disclosed and agreed to in advance. Always ask for it itemized.

Is online (remote) notarization legal in Maryland?

Remote online notarization authorized and operational; $30 per-act cap. Whatever the in-state status, confirm the party receiving your document accepts a remote notarization.

Will my bank notarize for free in Maryland?

Often, yes — many banks and credit unions notarize documents free for their account holders during branch hours. Call ahead: not every branch has a notary on duty, and some won't handle every document type.

What ID do I need to get something notarized in Maryland?

A current, government-issued photo ID is the standard requirement; the exact list of acceptable IDs is set by Maryland. Check Maryland Secretary of State, Notary Division before your appointment for the authoritative list.

Notary cost · Maryland

How much does a notary cost in Maryland?

Most "notary cost" pages are run by an online-notarization platform or a notary supplier — each answering with its own product. This one isn't. Here's what it actually costs in Maryland, all your options compared fairly — including the one where your bank does it for free.

per notarial act (per signature) — that's the notarial stamp, capped by Maryland. Getting a notary to you (the trip) is a separate, market-set charge. A Maryland notary may charge up to $8 to notarize each signature on the original or first copy of a record and $4 for each signature on each additional copy of the same record, with remote (online) notarial acts capped at $30; the $8 cap took effect January 22, 2024, raised from $4.

The two prices, separated

1 · The notarial fee

$8 per notarial act (per signature)

State-capped. This is the official act — verifying you, witnessing the signature, applying the stamp. It's the same amount whether you drive to the notary or they drive to you.

2 · The travel / convenience fee

capped

COMAR 01.02.08.02 permits mileage reimbursement at the prevailing IRS business-travel rate (70 cents/mile for 2025) PLUS a separate travel fee not to exceed $5, when travel is required to perform the notarial act. Both the mileage and the $5 travel fee are separate from and on top of the per-act fee. The guide's cited $0.31/mile is stale; the rate tracks the current IRS figure. It only applies when a notary comes to you — a bank or walk-in counter doesn't charge it.

Your options, compared honestly

Option	What you pay	When it's the right call
Bank / credit union	Often free for account holders	Simple documents, during branch hours, when you can get there. Call first — not every branch has a notary.
Walk-in (UPS-type)	Up to $8 per notarial act (per signature) + the store's own convenience fee	You're already out, no account at a bank, need it now. You travel to them.
Mobile notary	$8 per notarial act (per signature) act fee + a travel fee (a base rate plus mileage, set by the notary)	Hospital, homebound, after-hours, real-estate or multi-signer signings — when the trip is worth paying for. Ask for the travel fee itemized upfront.
Online / RON RON · Live in-state	$30 per session	You can notarize by video without leaving home. Confirm the receiving party accepts a remote notarization.

Maryland specifics

Fee schedule: A Maryland notary may charge up to $8 to notarize each signature on the original or first copy of a record and $4 for each signature on each additional copy of the same record, with remote (online) notarial acts capped at $30; the $8 cap took effect January 22, 2024, raised from $4.

Travel fees: COMAR 01.02.08.02 permits mileage reimbursement at the prevailing IRS business-travel rate (70 cents/mile for 2025) PLUS a separate travel fee not to exceed $5, when travel is required to perform the notarial act. Both the mileage and the $5 travel fee are separate from and on top of the per-act fee. The guide's cited $0.31/mile is stale; the rate tracks the current IRS figure.

Fee is itemized per signature: $8 for each signature on the original or first copy, $4 for each signature on each additional copy of the same record.

Reproductions of a notarized record or a journal entry: no more than $2 per copy; certifying a copy of a record in the notary's journal: $6.

Travel is billed on top of the act fee: IRS mileage rate plus a separate fee not to exceed $5 — a signer should see these as distinct line items.

The $8 per-act cap and $30 RON cap became effective January 22, 2024 (previously $4 per act); older guides still cite $4 or $6.

Listed amounts are statutory maximums, not required charges — a notary may charge less or nothing.

Remote online notarization: RON · Live in-state — Remote online notarization authorized and operational; $30 per-act cap.

Official source: Maryland Secretary of State, Notary Division →

Before you pay

Ask to confirm the notary's commission is current (a mobile notary should be happy to show it).
Get the total quoted upfront and itemized — the $8 per notarial act (per signature) notarial fee separate from any travel/convenience fee.
Ask for a receipt.
For online/remote notarization, confirm the party receiving your document accepts it.

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Notary costs in every state Compare all 50 states + how notary pricing actually works Maryland notary guide Curious what notaries here can charge — or thinking of becoming one? How online (remote) notarization works What RON is, where you can use it, and what your document must accept

Figures on this page are sourced to Maryland Secretary of State, Notary Division (Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-107; fee amounts set by COMAR 01.02.08.02), verified 2026-07-14. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm specifics with the official authority.