AL Notary Notary Fees and Compensation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum fee an Alabama notary may charge per notarial act under state law?
- $5 per notarial act (Correct answer)
- $10 per notarial act
- $25 per notarial act
- There is no statutory fee limit in Alabama
Correct answer: $5 per notarial act
Alabama law sets the maximum fee at $5 per notarial act for traditional (in-person) notarizations.
Question 2: An Alabama notary charges $20 for a single acknowledgment. This is:
- Illegal — it exceeds the $5 statutory maximum (Correct answer)
- Legal if the document is a real estate deed
- Legal if the notary has a written fee schedule on file
- Legal for notaries with more than 10 years of experience
Correct answer: Illegal — it exceeds the $5 statutory maximum
Charging more than $5 per notarial act for a traditional notarization violates Alabama's statutory fee cap, regardless of document type or experience.
Question 3: May an Alabama notary charge a travel fee in addition to the notarial fee?
- Yes, a separate travel fee may be charged if agreed upon in advance (Correct answer)
- No, Alabama law prohibits any fees beyond the $5 notarial fee
- Yes, but only if the travel exceeds 50 miles
- Only government-employed notaries may charge travel fees
Correct answer: Yes, a separate travel fee may be charged if agreed upon in advance
Alabama notaries may charge a reasonable, separately agreed-upon travel fee on top of the statutory notarial fee, provided the signer agrees beforehand.
Question 4: An Alabama notary who is also a licensed attorney notarizes documents for their legal clients. Can they charge more than $5 per act?
- No, the $5 cap applies to all Alabama notaries regardless of professional credentials (Correct answer)
- Yes, attorney-notaries may charge up to $25 per act
- Yes, if the document is part of a legal proceeding
- Only if the client waives the statutory fee limit in writing
Correct answer: No, the $5 cap applies to all Alabama notaries regardless of professional credentials
The $5 statutory fee cap applies universally to all notarial acts performed in Alabama, even by attorney-notaries.
Question 5: When is an Alabama notary permitted to perform a notarial act for free?
- At any time — charging a fee is optional, and the notary may waive it (Correct answer)
- Only for immediate family members
- Only for government documents
- Never — Alabama requires a minimum $1 fee to make the act valid
Correct answer: At any time — charging a fee is optional, and the notary may waive it
The $5 fee is a maximum, not a minimum; Alabama notaries may perform notarizations for free at their discretion.
Question 6: An Alabama employer requires their notary-employee to notarize company documents without charging any fee. This is:
- Legal — the notary may waive fees, including under employer direction (Correct answer)
- Illegal — the notary must collect at least the minimum statutory fee
- Legal only if the employer reimburses the notary directly
- Illegal unless a corporate notary exemption has been filed
Correct answer: Legal — the notary may waive fees, including under employer direction
There is no minimum fee in Alabama; an employer may direct their notary-employee to perform notarizations as part of their job duties without collecting fees.
AL Notary Notary Fees and Compensation 1
What is the maximum fee an Alabama notary may charge per notarial act under state law?