Can a notary charge more than $10 per notarial act in Virginia?

For the notarial act itself, no — Virginia caps it at $10 per notarial act. 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.

Will my bank notarize for free in Virginia?

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.

Notary cost · Virginia

How much does a notary cost in Virginia?

Q: What ID do I need to get something notarized in Virginia?

A current, government-issued photo ID is the standard requirement; the exact list of acceptable IDs is set by Virginia. Check Code of Virginia § 47.1-19 (Fees), Virginia Law / Legislative Information System, law.lis.virginia.gov (statutes administered by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Notary Public Division) before your appointment for the authoritative list.

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 Virginia, all your options compared fairly — including the one where your bank does it for free.

$10

per notarial act — that's the notarial stamp, capped by Virginia. Getting a notary to you (the trip) is a separate, market-set charge. Virginia caps a notary's fee at $10 per in-person notarial act (acknowledgment, oath/affirmation, affidavit or deposition, or copy certification) and at $25 per electronic notarial act, including remote online notarization (RON), under Va. Code § 47.1-19 effective July 1, 2024.

The two prices, separated

1 · The notarial fee

$10 per notarial act

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

disclosure-required

Va. Code § 47.1-19 permits a notary to recover the 'actual and reasonable expense of traveling to a place where a notarial act is to be performed if it is not the notary's usual place of business,' but only where the notary and the client agree to the travel reimbursement in advance. There is no fixed mileage cap or dollar formula; the constraint is (1) actual and reasonable, and (2) agreed with the client. Travel reimbursement is separate from and in addition to the $10/$25 act-fee cap. 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 $10 per notarial act + the store's own convenience fee	You're already out, no account at a bank, need it now. You travel to them.
Mobile notary	$10 per notarial act 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	$25 per session	You can notarize by video without leaving home. Confirm the receiving party accepts a remote notarization.

Virginia specifics

Fee schedule: Virginia caps a notary's fee at $10 per in-person notarial act (acknowledgment, oath/affirmation, affidavit or deposition, or copy certification) and at $25 per electronic notarial act, including remote online notarization (RON), under Va. Code § 47.1-19 effective July 1, 2024.

Travel fees: Va. Code § 47.1-19 permits a notary to recover the 'actual and reasonable expense of traveling to a place where a notarial act is to be performed if it is not the notary's usual place of business,' but only where the notary and the client agree to the travel reimbursement in advance. There is no fixed mileage cap or dollar formula; the constraint is (1) actual and reasonable, and (2) agreed with the client. Travel reimbursement is separate from and in addition to the $10/$25 act-fee cap.

Two-tier cap: $10 per in-person (paper) notarial act vs. $25 per electronic notarial act (including RON) under the same statute.

The cap is a maximum, not a minimum — Virginia notaries may lawfully notarize for free, and the fee only becomes a ceiling when charging.

Travel/mileage is a separate reimbursement, allowed only if agreed with the client in advance and limited to 'actual and reasonable' expense; it is not folded into the per-act cap.

The $10 in-person cap is flat across all listed act types (acknowledgment, oath/affirmation, affidavit/deposition certification, and true-copy certification) — no per-signature 'first + additional' schedule.

Remote online notarization: RON · Live in-state — Virginia was the first U.S. state to authorize RON (effective July 1, 2012, Title 47.1); it is authorized and operational statewide. A traditional Virginia commission plus separate electronic-notary registration is required. RON acts by a VA-commissioned notary are recognized out-of-state and broadly accepted by lenders/title companies. Electronic/RON acts are capped at $25 per act under § 47.1-19.

Official source: Code of Virginia § 47.1-19 (Fees), Virginia Law / Legislative Information System, law.lis.virginia.gov (statutes administered by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Notary Public 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 $10 per notarial act 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 Virginia 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 Code of Virginia § 47.1-19 (Fees), Virginia Law / Legislative Information System, law.lis.virginia.gov (statutes administered by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Notary Public Division) (Va. Code § 47.1-19), verified 2026-07-14. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm specifics with the official authority.