In Illinois, what is the maximum fee a notary public may charge for a single non-electronic notarial act, apart from acts performed under Section 3-102?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-104 (Maximum fee)
Illinois Notary Exam · Acts
Illinois Notary Exam Practice Questions: Notarial Acts (2026)
An Illinois notary may take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, take verifications upon oath or affirmation, witness or attest signatures, and note protests of negotiable instruments, listed in 5 ILCS 312/1-104 and 6-101. For an acknowledgment the notary must determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence, that the person appearing is the person whose true signature is on the instrument, under 5 ILCS 312/6-102. The maximum fee for a non-electronic act is $5, and for an electronic act it is $25, under 5 ILCS 312/3-104.
Practice
Free practice questions
Throughout what geographic area may an Illinois notary public perform notarial acts, given the residency requirement?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-105 (Authority)
What is the fee, payable to the Secretary of State or County Clerk, to obtain a certificate of authority for a notarized Illinois document?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-106 (Certificate of authority)
Under 5 ILCS 312/6-101, which acts are included in the definition of a 'notarial act'?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/6-101 (Definitions)
In taking an acknowledgment, what must the Illinois notary determine, either from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/6-102 (Notarial acts)
Under the 6-105 short forms, what additional information is required for an acknowledgment in a representative capacity that is not required for one in an individual capacity?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/6-105 (Short Forms)
Under the Illinois administrative rules, is a notary public required to charge a fee for a notarial act?
Based on: 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.540 (Notary Public and Electronic Notary Public Fees)
When a person cannot physically sign a document and directs another person (not the notary) to sign their name, who must appear before the notary at the time the document is signed?
Based on: 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.610 (Persons Physically Unable to Sign Documents)
Under the 1-104 definition of a 'notarial act', which of the following acts is expressly included?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/1-104 (Definitions)
What is the maximum fee an electronic notary public in Illinois may charge for an electronic notarial act?
Based on: 5 ILCS 312/3-104 (Maximum fee)
The acts a notary may perform and how to identify a signer
The exam leans on knowing which act fits which job. Under 5 ILCS 312/1-104, the definition of a notarial act includes noting a protest of a negotiable instrument along with acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, verifications, witnessing or attesting signatures, and certifying or attesting a copy. Section 6-101 lists taking an acknowledgment, administering an oath or affirmation, taking a verification upon oath or affirmation, and witnessing or attesting a signature. The core skill is identification: in taking an acknowledgment, 5 ILCS 312/6-102 requires the notary to determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence, that the person appearing and making the acknowledgment is the person whose true signature is on the instrument. Authority is geographic: under 5 ILCS 312/3-105 a notary may act throughout the State, so long as the notary resides in the same county in which the notary was commissioned. There are special rules for signers who cannot sign. Under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.610, when a person cannot physically sign and directs another person, who is not the notary, to sign that name, both the person who cannot sign and the person directed to sign must appear before the notary and be identified at the time the document is signed.
Fees you may charge, and the certificate of authority
Illinois caps notary fees by statute, and the cap is the single most-tested number in this topic. Under 5 ILCS 312/3-104 the maximum fee for any non-electronic notarial act is $5, except for acts performed under Section 3-102, the Cook County residential conveyance records, which carry their own rules. For electronic notarization, 5 ILCS 312/3-104 sets the maximum at up to $25 for any electronic notarial act. These are ceilings, not required charges: 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.540 states plainly that neither a notary public nor an electronic notary public is required to charge a fee. A separate $2 charge appears under 5 ILCS 312/3-106, the fee payable to the Secretary of State or County Clerk to obtain a certificate of authority for a notarized Illinois document, which is the certification that confirms the notary held a valid commission. The acts are deliberately narrow. The Act does not authorise a notary to draft legal instruments or give legal advice, and the short forms in 5 ILCS 312/6-105 add, for an acknowledgment taken in a representative capacity, the type of authority and the name of the party on whose behalf the instrument was executed, beyond what the individual-capacity form requires. Authority is also bounded by residence. Under 5 ILCS 312/3-105 a notary may perform notarial acts throughout the State, but only so long as the notary resides in the same county in which the notary was commissioned, which is why a move to a new county can end the commission rather than simply relocate it. Keep the fee facts straight for the exam: the $5 ceiling is the maximum for a single non-electronic act, the $25 ceiling is the maximum for an electronic act, and 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.540 makes clear that charging a fee at all is optional, so a notary may waive it without breaking any rule.
| Charge | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Non-electronic notarial act | $5 (5 ILCS 312/3-104) |
| Electronic notarial act | $25 (5 ILCS 312/3-104) |
| Acts under Section 3-102 | Separate rules apply |
| Certificate of authority | $2 to Secretary of State or County Clerk (5 ILCS 312/3-106) |
| Required to charge a fee? | No (14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.540) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum fee an Illinois notary can charge?
Under 5 ILCS 312/3-104, the maximum fee for any single non-electronic notarial act in Illinois is $5, apart from acts performed under Section 3-102. An electronic notary may charge up to $25 for an electronic notarial act. Under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.540 a notary is not required to charge any fee at all.
What notarial acts can an Illinois notary perform?
Under 5 ILCS 312/1-104 and 6-101, an Illinois notary may take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, take verifications upon oath or affirmation, witness or attest signatures, and note protests of negotiable instruments. An Illinois notary is not authorised to draft legal instruments or give legal advice.
How does an Illinois notary identify the signer for an acknowledgment?
Under 5 ILCS 312/6-102, when taking an acknowledgment an Illinois notary must determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence, that the person appearing and making the acknowledgment is the person whose true signature is on the instrument. The notary acts throughout the State only so long as the notary resides in the same county where commissioned, under 5 ILCS 312/3-105.
What happens if a signer cannot physically sign in Illinois?
Under 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.610, when a person cannot physically sign and directs another person, who is not the notary, to sign that name, both the person who cannot sign and the person directed to sign must appear before the Illinois notary and be identified at the time the document is signed.
Practice questions