Increasing the maximum fees from $4 to $25 for an original notarial act and, (subject to certain regulations), to $50 for performance of a notarial act using communication technology; repealing a certain prohibition on performing a notarial act using communication technology with respect to a will or a trust; authorizing a notary public to use communication technology to take an acknowledgement of a signature remotely under certain circumstances; establishing certain requirements for a notary public to confirm a record remotely; etc.
This increase does not mean that we as Maryland notaries can charge $25 per notorial act. We can now do Wills and Trusts using Remote Online Notarization (RON). We need to act now during the regulatory process so that our voices can be heard. Please contact me for more information on how you can get involved in this process. I have attached the link to SB0317 below.
This bill only affect notaries in the state of Maryland. It is important that notaries all over the United States follow what’s going on with this bill because when this comes up in your state you will already have an idea of where your voice comes into play.
Your state process may be a little different, but every state process allows for the voice of the people.
Right now in Maryland we can only charge $4 per notarial act. With the senate passing SB0317 and it’s now in the hands of the Secretary of State (SOS), the SOS has the authority to increase the fee for a notarial act up to $25, this is done during the regulatory process.
There will be one set fee, but SB0317 allows the SOS to leave the fee at $4 or increase the fee up to $25. During the regulatory process the decision will be made by the SOS, as to how much we as notaries in the state of Maryland, are able to charge for a notarial act. Once that fee is set during the regulatory process, that’s how much a Maryland notary can charge.
Although SB0317 give the SOS The authority to increase the fee up to $25, the SOS also has that same authority to decrease the fee, but only back to the original amount of $4, if he/she deems necessary for the people we service.
