Okay, whatever. You’d have to admit that the California acknowledgment is the most over-legislated notarial certificate in the nation.
I see someone mention Montana, now that’s a great acknowledgment, short, sweet, and to the point, and I like the fact that one signer designated (only) does away with all the pronouns.
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Montana has adopted a modified version of RULONA which has also been adopted in my state. The genderless short certificates are the same in both states, which is just in time for all the states that are giving an option for alternative gender designations on driver licenses. Obviously the California SOS and DMV do not talk to each other.
Montana law defines an acknowledgement as
(1) “Acknowledgment” means a declaration by an individual before a notarial officer that the individual has willingly signed a record for the purposes stated in the record and, if the record is signed in a representative capacity, that the individual signed the record with proper authority and signed the record as the act of the individual or entity identified in the record.
I read that as one declaration, such as the word “yes” spoken by the signer when the notary asks “did you sign this willingly for the purposes in the record?” is one acknowledgement. Eight signers, and the word “yes” spoken eight times, means eight acknowledgements.
Montana’s fee section says in part
1-5-626. Fees for notarial acts — collection of fees. (1) A notary public may charge a fee not to exceed $10 for each notarial act:
(a) performing an acknowledgment;
(b) witnessing a signature;
(c) verifying on oath or affirmation;
(d) certifying a transcript; or
(e) certifying a copy.
As far as I can see, the fee calculation is not affected by whether each notarial act is documented with a separate certificate, or if several acts of the same kind are documented with one certificate by putting several names in the certificate. Eight people saying “yes” to the notary’s question allows a fee of $80, even if all eight names go in one certificate.
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Per signature, don’t forget about Notary Exempt Income…see your accountant… impacts social security income totals for the year.
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thanks for the cut and paste Ashton, I take it business is pretty slow around your area.
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This is, pretty much Florida’s fee schedule as well, except that we can charge $30.00 for a Marriage ceremony.
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If the signers are both included in one notary block, it’s one notarization. One notarial act. One stamp.
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If the signers are both included in one notary block, it’s one notarization. One notarial act. One stamp.
In my state, Vermont, that’s not true. Filling in the blanks in the notary block is not the notarial act. The notary signing the notarial block is not the notarial act. Applying an official stamp (as it’s called in my state) is neither required nor is it the notarial act.
The notarial acts are the notary asking the appropriate questions and listening to the appropriate responses. “Did you sign this for the purposes in the record and are you acting on your own behalf?” Or “do you swear you are familiar with the contents of this record and it is true, so help you God?” Or something similar. Followed by the signers saying “yes.” The notarial block is a permanent record of the notarial acts that just occurred.
In an earlier post ewing_joe gave a fee calculation for California that would charge $120 for 8 notarial acts even though only one notarial certificate and one stamp was done.
So, rangeloro17, can you quote a law or regulation from your state that supports your claim?
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After reading “misspenailz2” initial question - “Are the notary charges, per signature or per page?” Her best practice would be to contact the Department Of Notary Public that holds her commission for clarification. Since I am not an attorney, I will not try to interpret any statutes. State statutes can be have some “gray” areas that are open for legal interpretation. What you or I may think or feel a statute means, can be interpreted differently by the courts. As I read the comments on this thread, it became apparent that each state has various meanings for how a notarial act can be defined. I found all the comments interesting and appreciate the passion shown by all the contributors.
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In Ca. Per notarized signature.
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