A notary routinely charges above the statutory maximum. What is the consequence?

Statutory fee maximums exist because notarial services are a public function, and a notary who charges above them is exploiting an office rather than providing a service at an agreed price. California backs the cap two ways at once. There is a civil penalty for charging more than the fee prescribed, recoverable in an action, and separately the overcharging is a ground on which the Secretary of State may revoke or suspend the commission. The pairing matters: a monetary penalty alone would leave the notary in office, and a disciplinary process alone would leave the client without recourse, so the statute provides both. The wrong answers all describe partial or milder responses that miss the disciplinary dimension. Note that the cap applies to the notarial act itself; separately identified charges such as an agreed travel fee are not part of it, which is why the two must be itemised rather than combined.

Charging above the statutory maximum carries a civil penalty and is separately a ground on which the commission may be revoked or suspended.

California prescribes maximum fees for notarial acts. Charging more carries a civil penalty and is a ground for the Secretary of State to revoke or suspend the commission. Separately agreed and itemised travel fees are not part of the capped notarial fee.

Money and the Commission. Overcharging costs you a penalty and can cost you the office.

The cap applies per act, so a document with multiple signatures requiring separate acts is charged per act rather than per document.

• •Assuming a refund resolves the matter
• •Overlooking the disciplinary exposure
• •Folding travel charges into the notarial fee