Selling a house involves a long list of costs, and notary fees are usually one of the smaller ones. But sellers still want to know what to expect, especially when a title company, an attorney, or a mobile notary is all charging something slightly different for what seems like the same service.
This article breaks down notary fees for selling a house in Florida: what the law actually allows notaries to charge, what additional costs are common, why sellers and buyers often pay different totals, and what factors can make your number higher or lower than you expected.
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Notary fees for selling a house: what Florida law actually says
Florida law sets a clear cap on what a notary can charge for the act of notarization itself. Under Florida Statute 117.05, a notary public may not charge more than $10 for a single notarial act.
That fee applies per signature notarized, not per document. So, if a closing document requires three separate notarized signatures, the notary can charge up to $30 for that document alone.
This $10 cap covers acknowledgments, oaths, jurats, and similar standard notarial acts, and it applies the same way whether the notarization happens at a bank, a title company, or through a mobile notary who comes to you.
It does not cover remote online notarization, which falls under a separate statute, Florida Statute 117.275, allowing a notary to charge up to $25 per act when the notarization is performed online through a live video session rather than in person.
Pro tip: this cap applies only to the notarial act itself. It does not cover travel, document preparation, printing, or any other service a notary might provide alongside the notarization.
That distinction explains why the number you actually pay at closing is often higher than $10 per signature… and why understanding the full breakdown matters more than focusing on the statutory cap alone.
What else gets added to the bill
The $10 statutory cap is just one piece of the total cost. Several other charges commonly appear alongside it, and Florida law treats them differently.
Travel fees are the most significant addition for sellers using a mobile notary. Florida does not regulate or cap travel fees the way it caps the notarial act itself.
In other words, a mobile notary is allowed to charge a separate fee for coming to your home, your office, or wherever the signing takes place, as long as that fee is disclosed and agreed upon before the appointment.
These fees typically reflect distance traveled and the urgency of the request, and they can vary noticeably from one notary to the next.
Loan signing or closing package fees are another common cost, though these typically apply to the buyer’s side of the transaction rather than the seller’s.
Notaries who specialize in real estate closings, also known as notary signing agents (NSAs), often charge a flat fee for handling an entire closing package rather than billing per signature, since loan documents can run dozens of pages.
After-hours or rush fees may apply if you need a signing completed outside normal business hours or on short notice before a closing deadline. These are not capped by statute but should always be disclosed upfront, before you commit to the appointment.
Title companies and closing attorneys frequently build notarization into their overall closing fee rather than itemizing it separately. If your closing is handled this way, you may not see a distinct “notary fee” line item at all on your settlement statement – it will likely go into the broader closing costs instead.
Why sellers typically pay less in notary fees than buyers do
Sellers generally have a shorter document stack than buyers at closing. The deed, which transfers ownership and must be notarized to be recorded with the county, is the primary document requiring a seller’s notarized signature.
Sellers may also need to sign an affidavit of title, a sworn statement confirming there are no undisclosed liens or claims against the property, which also requires notarization.
Depending on the transaction, a few other seller-side documents, such as a gap affidavit or a non-foreign person affidavit for tax purposes, may also need a notary’s seal.
Buyers, by contrast, typically sign a full loan package that can include a dozen or more documents requiring notarization (the mortgage or deed of trust, the promissory note, and various closing disclosures, among others).
As notary fees are charged per signature, the buyer’s side of the transaction usually generates a higher notarial cost even though the statutory cap is identical for everyone involved.
This is one reason sellers are sometimes surprised when they hear how much a buyer paid for notary services at the same closing: the fee structure is identical, but the volume of documents is not.
Does it matter who provides the notary?
Yes, in terms of total cost, though not in terms of the statutory cap itself. If your closing is handled through a title company, a notary is typically included as part of the closing fee, and you may not pay anything additional beyond what is already built into your settlement costs.
If you choose to bring your own mobile notary instead of using the one the title company provides, you will likely pay the $10-per-act fee plus a separate travel fee.
For many sellers, the added cost is worth the convenience of having someone they trust come to a location of their choosing, rather than coordinating their entire day around the title company’s office hours and availability.
It is also worth knowing that you are allowed to ask in advance what the total cost will be, including any travel or service fees. A reputable notary will disclose this before the appointment, not after, so there are no surprises once the signing is complete.
Frequently asked questions: notary fees for selling a house
Can a notary charge more than $10 if the document is complicated? No. The complexity of the document does not affect the statutory cap. The $10 maximum applies per notarial act, regardless of how long the document is or how complicated its content might be.
Are notary fees the same for every county in Florida? Yes. Florida Statute 117.05 applies statewide, so the $10 cap is consistent whether your closing takes place in Orlando, Tampa, or anywhere else in the state. Travel fees, which are not capped, may vary based on distance and local market rates.
Who typically pays the notary fee at closing, the buyer or the seller? Each party is generally responsible for the notarization of its own documents. In practice, this is often absorbed into the broader closing costs paid by each side rather than billed as a standalone fee.
Closing thoughts
Notary fees are rarely the deciding factor in a home sale, but knowing what is regulated and what is not helps you understand your closing statement instead of just signing where you are told.
To sum it up: the $10 cap on the notarial act itself is fixed by Florida law, while travel and service fees vary depending on who you work with.
Selling a house in Central Florida involves more moving parts than most people expect, and getting the right help makes a real difference. Mobile Notary Orlando serves Orange, Seminole, Brevard, and Osceola counties 24/7, and we are glad to answer questions about cost, timing, or anything else before you commit to a mobile notarization appointment.
Reach out and let’s talk through what your closing actually needs!
