MD Notary MD Notary Fees and Records 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum fee a Maryland notary may charge for performing a notarial act on a paper document?
- $4 per notarial act (Correct answer)
- $2 per notarial act
- $10 per notarial act
- $5 per notarial act
Correct answer: $4 per notarial act
Maryland law caps the fee at $4 per notarial act for paper documents.
Question 2: What is the maximum fee a Maryland notary may charge for performing a remote online notarization (RON)?
- $25 per notarial act (Correct answer)
- $4 per notarial act
- $10 per notarial act
- $50 per notarial act
Correct answer: $25 per notarial act
Maryland law allows up to $25 per notarial act for remote online notarizations.
Question 3: Which state agency sets the maximum notarial fee schedule in Maryland?
- The Maryland General Assembly through statute (Correct answer)
- The Secretary of State's office
- The Governor's office
- The Maryland Bar Association
Correct answer: The Maryland General Assembly through statute
Notarial fee limits are established by the Maryland General Assembly in the Notarial Acts statute.
Question 4: How long must a Maryland notary retain a journal of notarial acts performed on paper documents?
- The journal is optional; no retention period is mandated (Correct answer)
- 5 years from the last entry
- 10 years from the last entry
- 1 year from commission expiration
Correct answer: The journal is optional; no retention period is mandated
Maryland does not legally require paper-document notaries to keep a journal, though it is strongly recommended.
Question 5: Which category of notarial acts is a Maryland notary PROHIBITED from charging a fee for?
- Notarizations for active duty military personnel under certain federal law (Correct answer)
- Notarizations for senior citizens over 65
- Notarizations for nonprofit organizations
- Notarizations requested by a government agency
Correct answer: Notarizations for active duty military personnel under certain federal law
Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, certain notarial acts for active duty military members must be performed without charge.
Question 6: A Maryland notary charges $6 for a single acknowledgment on a paper document. What has occurred?
- The notary has violated the statutory fee cap (Correct answer)
- The fee is acceptable if the signer consented in writing
- The fee is within the legal limit
- The fee is only permissible for attorneys who are also notaries
Correct answer: The notary has violated the statutory fee cap
Charging more than the $4 statutory maximum for a paper notarial act is a violation of Maryland law.
MD Notary MD Notary Fees and Records 1
What is the maximum fee a Maryland notary may charge for performing a notarial act on a paper document?