I just learned today that the Arizona SOS does not allow Notaries to charge a location fee-only Travel fee of $0.44 /mile and $10 max for the Notarial Act. Since advertising on Yelp and Google I get at least 5 calls per day. Thank goodness I have not had the need to charge that fee in the past ( I did yesterday for the first time cause it was for a single doc and mailed a check back to the client today apologizing for the overpayment he overpaid.)but with the increase in gas prices, I’m seriously reconsidering this GNW position. Based on the gas mileage on my SUV and the current gas prices, I get $.22/mile…uggggggg. I may have to rethink my overall marketing strategy 
on this.
When you add in insurance, depreciation, etc., you’re driving around for free, or even losing money as you drive. I suspect the lawmakers who passed this had an employee mentality. When I used to be an employee and drove around a bit for my employer, I got the then-current IRS per-mile rate, PLUS I received my normal salary as I was driving. Since the mobile notary isn’t getting a salary, it seems like mobile notary work is not realistic in Arizona.
1 Like
So far I have been doing very decent as most of the GNW I have been doing is more estate planning and life events stuff. I get those calls typically in the morning or late afternoon. I averaged $75 and up with those and have gotten as much as $120. Recently over the past week my phone rings late at night with these 1 document requests and have been turning them down. The only reason I made an exception was that he was a sweet old man that sounded desperate. I just have to find a way to target the multiple document typed signer and not the single document signer. I’m not sure how to advertise to that target market.
2 Likes
Sorry to hear that for you all in AZ. Yes, gas is so high and everything else is going up as well.
1 Like
I think I’m going to change my GNW hours and see if that makes any changes
1 Like
FWIW: Agree, the too low allowed travel fee doesn’t take your travel TIME either. I sorta solved the ‘single doc’ matter by encouraging them to ‘come to me’ or ‘meet at a very nearby public location’. That might work for you.
2 Likes
Seriously. The current IRS allowance of 57.5 cents a mile doesn’t begin to cover the costs of using a vehicle for business. Only other option is to use actual costs, meaning keep every receipt, every penny, use the car strictly for business, but if not, then one has to reimburse the “business” for the personal use of a business car. Gets complicated, out of my pay grade.
In California it goes like this:
The question regarding Notary fees is a common one for both mobile Notaries and Notary Signing Agents alike, and there are several factors to consider when determining your fee. First, make sure you understand what your expenses are in providing Notary services. The good news is that California’s Notary fee statute only regulates the per signature fee for notarizations, so you are free to set fees for ancillary services as you please. Since travel is one of your main expenses, you can check out the IRS website that offers a helpful reference for determining how much to charge per mile.
If offering mobile Notary services, the customer still pays the standard fee for a California notarization, which is $15 per signature for a jurat or an acknowledgment. From there, you need to clearly communicate the additional costs for ancillary services to your signer prior to completing the notarization.
If you want to conduct mortgage loan signings, you will be paid by a title company, escrow agency or signing service instead of a signer, and you will be paid a flat fee for all of your services. The most important advice when it comes to Notary fees is to always establish and clearly communicate the total with your client before you perform the notarization, and always carefully record the fees collected so that you will never be accused of overcharging your clients.
1 Like
Just a clarification here…IRS mileage rate for 2022 is 58.5 cents/mile
Still not enough
3 Likes
Please note IRS updated their mileage rate effective 7/1/2022 to $0.625 per mile for the period 7/1 - 12/31/2022. Keep in mind with your bookkeeping
1 Like
Thank you for the reminder
@donaldsonnp In case you need the reference, here is the direct IRS url link to the Bulletin about the mileage rate increase as @LindaH-FL identified above:
1 Like
I just calculate the rate that would make that im being paid $25+ an hour of my time. administration fee, travel fee, if somebody wants to calculate the cents per mile for travel im traveling from an appointment hours away.
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.