Every way to get notarized in NYC, priced
| Option | What it costs | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Your bank or credit union | Free for account holders | Business hours, your branch; the bank's notary reviews each document first, and not all branches keep a notary on duty |
| Shipping / print stores | $2 per signature (NY cap) | Walk in during store hours; notary hours and witness availability vary by location, so call ahead |
| County clerk's office | Free | Weekday business hours only; the New York County and Bronx County Clerks notarize up to five English language documents per customer, but not wills, trusts or deeds |
| Online notarization (RON) | Up to $25 per act with a New York notary | Fast, but acceptance of remotely notarized documents varies by receiving party, so check first |
| Mobile notary (comes to you) | Travel fee set by each service + $2/signature | Any location, home, office, hospital, evenings and weekends; witnesses available |
| Sealed NYC flat rates | $125 to $245 by borough + $2/signature | 7am to midnight, 7 days, exact total shown before you book |
If your document is simple, you're mobile, and your bank branch has a notary on duty, go to the bank; it's free and we'd tell you that to your face. Mobile notary pricing exists for everything else: hospital rooms, deadlines, evenings, multiple signers, witnesses, and documents that can't wait for business hours. We cover both sides of that decision in Where to Get Something Notarized in NYC.
The law behind the $2: New York Executive Law §136
New York caps the notary's fee at $2 for each oath and $2 for each person whose acknowledgment is taken, and at $25 for each electronic notarial act. The Department of State says a notarial fee may not exceed $2 unless otherwise authorized by law. Those caps cover the notarial act itself; neither the statute nor the Department of State's notary guidance addresses separate travel or service fees. We keep the two apart on every receipt: the travel & service fee you saw before booking, and $2 × the number of notarized signatures. If a notary quotes one blended number "per document," or names the price only on arrival, ask for the breakdown.
The cheapest notarization is the one you never needed. Many documents need no notary at all; here is which ones do.
Mobile notary prices in NYC: our flat rates
Every mobile notary sets its own travel fee, and many charge more for evenings, weekends and rush visits, so compare the full total before you book. Ours are flat by borough, in full:
| Borough | Flat travel & service fee | Typical arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan | $125 | 30 to 60 min |
| Brooklyn | $165 | 45 to 75 min |
| Queens | $175 | 45 to 90 min |
| The Bronx | $195 | 60 to 90 min |
| Staten Island | $245 | 90 to 120 min |
Extras only if they apply: same day +$40, emergency under 3 hours +$95, after 8pm or weekends +$50, late night 11pm to midnight +$75, major holidays +$250, hospital or nursing home +$25, a witness we supply +$75, apostille handling $150 + state and county fees. The $2 notary fee for each notarized signature is itemized separately on every receipt.
What it costs to notarize common documents in NYC
The document does not set the price, the trip does. New York law caps the notary's own fee at $2 for each oath and $2 for each person whose acknowledgment is taken, whatever the document says, so your real total is the travel option you choose plus a few dollars in notary fees. Here is the honest math with our flat Manhattan rate. Add the borough difference for Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx or Staten Island.
| Document | Signatures usually notarized | Total with a $125 Manhattan visit |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney | 1 to 2 | $127 to $129 |
| Will (only the witnesses' affidavit is notarized) | 2 | $129 |
| Affidavit or sworn statement | 1 | $127 |
| Real estate deed | 1 to 2 | $127 to $129 |
| Travel consent letter | 1 to 2 | $127 to $129 |
| Bank, pension or insurance form | 1 | $127 |
Notice the pattern: once the notary is in the room, more paperwork barely moves the number. Five documents cost eight dollars more than one. If you have a stack, book one visit and bring all of it.
Extras that can change the total
- Evenings after 8pm and weekends: $50 on top of the borough rate.
- Late night, 11pm to midnight: $75.
- Major holidays: a $250 holiday dispatch fee, charged on New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Other federal holidays price as normal days.
- Hospital, nursing home or correctional facility: $25 for the extra entry and screening time.
- A witness we bring: $75 each. Wills and some powers of attorney need witnesses, and buildings rarely lend staff.
- Waiting time: the first 20 minutes on site are included, then $1 per minute.
- Apostille handling: $150 plus state and county fees when the document is going abroad, $275 express or $325 next business day.
Every one of these appears in the quote before you book. Nothing shows up for the first time on a receipt.
How to pay less for a notary in New York
- Try your bank first for simple paperwork. If the branch keeps a notary and everyone can get there on a weekday, it is free. We say this in writing because customers who come to us anyway trust the number they see.
- Bundle everything into one visit. The travel fee covers the appointment, not the page count.
- Book a day ahead when you can. The same visit costs $40 to $95 less than the rush tiers.
- Have ID and the unsigned documents ready. Repeat visits are the most expensive mistake in notarization, and almost always an ID or missing witness problem.
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Get your priceNotary cost FAQs
How much does a notary cost in NYC?
New York law caps the notarization itself at $2 for each signer's acknowledgment or oath. What varies is getting to a notary: banks are usually free for their own customers, walk in shops charge the $2 cap when you can find one, a New York electronic notary may charge up to $25 per electronic notarial act, and a mobile notary who travels to you adds a travel fee that each service sets. Sealed NYC's flat travel fees are $125 (Manhattan) to $245 (Staten Island).
How much do notaries charge per signature in New York?
No more than $2 for each oath and $2 for each person whose acknowledgment is taken. That maximum is set by New York Executive Law §136. The Department of State says a notarial fee may not exceed $2 unless otherwise authorized by law, and an electronic notary may charge up to $25 per electronic notarial act. Anything else a service charges is a travel, convenience or service fee, and neither the statute nor the Department of State's notary guidance addresses those separate fees.
How much does it cost to get a letter notarized?
The notarization itself is capped at $2 in New York. If you walk into a bank where you have an account, the whole thing is often free. If a notary comes to you, you pay their travel fee, ours is $125 to $245 depending on borough, plus the $2.
Why do mobile notaries cost more than $2?
The $2 covers the notarial act, not the trip. A mobile notary spends 1 to 2 hours per appointment traveling to you, verifies ID, keeps the records New York requires, and carries insurance. Neither the statute nor the Department of State's notary guidance addresses separate travel fees; ours is a flat fee by borough, and the exact total shows on the booking form before you confirm.
Are notary fees the same in every borough?
The $2 statutory fee is the same everywhere. Travel fees differ because travel time differs: our flat rates are $125 Manhattan, $165 Brooklyn, $175 Queens, $195 the Bronx and $245 Staten Island.
How much does an apostille cost in New York?
The New York State apostille itself is $10 per document, and the county clerk authentication before it is a few dollars more. Handling services charge for the legwork: ours is $150 plus those government fees, including the notarization visit coordination and courier back to you.
Do notaries charge per page or per signature?
Per signer and per oath, never per page. New York caps the notary's fee at $2 for each oath and $2 for each person whose acknowledgment is taken, so a thirty page trust signed by one person carries the same $2 fee as a one page letter.
Why is the New York notary fee only $2?
The cap is set by New York Executive Law §136, and it covers the official act itself. What services actually price is everything around the act, mainly travel and time; neither the statute nor the Department of State's notary guidance addresses those separate fees.
Can a notary charge a travel fee in New York?
Executive Law §136 sets the fee for the notarial act itself; neither the statute nor the Department of State's notary guidance addresses separate travel or service fees. Mobile notaries in New York, us included, charge for travel separately from the $2, and our exact total appears on the booking form, not on the doorstep.
How much does it cost to notarize a will in NYC?
In New York the will itself is not notarized. What we notarize is the self proving affidavit that your two witnesses sign under oath, so that is two sworn signatures at $2 each, $4 on top of the visit. If we bring the witnesses, add $75 each. Anything about the will itself is a question for your lawyer.
Sources
- NY Executive Law §136 for notary fee maximums, plus the electronic notarization provisions, per the NY Department of State Notary Public License Law
- NY Department of State apostille fee schedule ($10/document)
- Fee limits as stated on the NY Department of State notary page (its notary FAQ does not address travel fees)
- County clerk notary rules from the New York County Clerk