Colorado Notary Fees: How Much You Can Charge in 2026

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Colorado sets maximum fees that notaries can charge for notarial acts: $15 per document in person and $25 for the notary’s electronic signature, caps set by statute (C.R.S. 24-21-529, raised by SB 23-153 in 2023). Separate Secretary of State rules effective April 30, 2024 govern fee disclosure. This guide covers the current fee limits, the itemization requirements, and what happens if you overcharge.

Maximum Fees Under Colorado Law

Under CRS 24-21-529, Colorado caps what notaries can charge:

Notarial Act	Maximum Fee
Any notarization (in-person)	$15 per document attested
Electronic signature (RON)	$25 for the notary’s electronic signature

These are maximums. You can charge less or nothing at all. Many notaries who work for employers do not charge individual signers directly because the employer pays their salary.

The 2024 Fee Disclosure Rules

Effective April 30, 2024, the Colorado Secretary of State’s fee rules (an amendment to 8 CCR 1505-11) changed how notaries must handle fees. They affect every Colorado notary who charges for services, including those who work in retail settings like postal stores.

What the rules require

The disclosure rules have two parts:

1. Upfront disclosure: Before performing the notarial act, you must tell the customer (verbally or in writing) what fees you will charge. This includes the notarial fee plus any ancillary charges like travel fees or document preparation fees.
2. Written itemization: After the notarization, you must give the customer a written document that lists each fee separately. This can be a receipt, invoice, closing statement, or transaction summary.

If you charge nothing at all for the visit, no documentation is required. If the notarial act itself is free but you charge for travel or other services, those charges still need to be disclosed upfront and listed on the written document.

Why these rules exist

The Secretary of State’s office received complaints about notaries charging more than the statutory maximum. Some notaries were bundling fees in ways that made it hard for customers to tell what they were paying for. The new rules create a paper trail so that any fee dispute can be resolved by looking at the itemized document.

What happens if you do not comply

If you fail to provide the itemized document, the total amount you charged will be presumed to exceed the statutory maximum. That means the Secretary of State could take administrative action against your commission, even if you actually charged within the legal limit. The burden of proof shifts to you, and without the documentation, you have no defense.

Signing Agents and Third-Party Payments

The fee disclosure rules apply to notaries who charge customers directly for general notary work. Two carve-outs matter for the closing world: employees of title companies performing notarial acts as part of title, closing, or settlement services are the rules’ only stated exception, and the Secretary of State has stated it does not regulate signing-service fees. Independent signing agents paid by lenders or signing services sit in that second gap, though keeping clear records is still the safe practice.

That said, signing agents should still keep clear records of what they are paid per signing and by whom.

Travel Fees and Ancillary Charges

Colorado allows notaries to charge travel fees on top of the notarial fee. Travel fees are not regulated by the Secretary of State, meaning there is no statutory cap. Three habits keep them clean:

• Telling the customer the travel fee before you travel
• Agreeing on the amount in advance
• Listing the travel fee as a separate line item on the written itemization

Other ancillary fees that Colorado notaries sometimes charge include after-hours fees, printing fees for mobile notary work, and document preparation fees (where legally permitted). All of these must be disclosed upfront and itemized on the written document.

Charging for Non-Notary Services

Notaries sometimes offer services that are not notarial acts, such as printing documents, faxing, or loan signing facilitation. These services are not subject to the statutory fee caps because they are separate from the notarial act itself. However, the 2024 disclosure rules still require you to list these charges on the itemized document so the customer can see the breakdown.

What Free Notary Service Means

Many banks, credit unions, and libraries offer free notary services to their customers or members. If you work for an employer that offers free notarizations, you are not required to charge. The fee limits are ceilings, not floors.

If you are building a notary business, you need to decide whether to charge the maximum or something less. In competitive markets like Denver or Colorado Springs, some notaries charge below the maximum to attract clients. Others charge the full amount and compete on convenience or specialization.

Penalties for Overcharging

Overcharging for a notarial act is a violation under Colorado’s notary statutes. Consequences can include:

• Administrative action against your commission by the Secretary of State
• Suspension or revocation of your notary commission
• Refund obligations to the overcharged customer

Colorado takes fee violations seriously because notaries are public officials. Charging above the maximum undermines public trust and can result in complaints to the Secretary of State’s office.

Practical Tips for Fee Compliance

1. Keep a fee schedule posted at your notary station or available on your phone to show customers.
2. Create a simple receipt template with line items for each notarial act, travel, and any other charges.
3. Tell every customer what they will owe before you start the notarization.
4. Write $0.00 on the receipt if you are not charging for the notarial act but are charging for travel or other services.
5. Save copies of your receipts for your own records.

Common Questions