Standard Notarial Fees (Philippines): What’s Allowed, What’s Typical, and How to Compute a Fair Charge

Quick take: There is no single nationwide “price list” for notarization. Fees must be reasonable, are often guided by IBP (Integrated Bar of the Philippines) chapter schedules and local practice, and can vary by document type, complexity, and location. Any fee covers only the notarial act itself—taxes (e.g., documentary stamp tax), certifications, photocopying, courier, travel, and remote notarization set-up are separate and should be itemized.

This guide synthesizes the Rules on Notarial Practice, the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, IBP practice, and common office procedures. It’s general information, not legal advice.

1) What a notarial fee is—and isn’t

A notarial fee compensates a commissioned lawyer-notary for performing a notarial act, which transforms a private document into a public instrument (acknowledgment) or certifies facts like administration of an oath (jurat), copy certification, or witnessing. It does not include:

Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) or other BIR taxes payable on the document itself (e.g., deeds, special powers of attorney used for a sale, real-estate documents).
Professional legal services beyond the notarial act (drafting, contract review, legal advice, negotiation).
Incidental costs: printing, photocopying, courier, travel/house-call charges, online meeting platform costs for remote notarization, consular fees (if abroad).

2) Who may charge notarial fees

Only Philippine lawyers with a current notarial commission for the relevant territorial jurisdiction (city or province) may notarize and charge notarial fees in that jurisdiction.
Consular officers may notarize for Filipinos abroad; fees follow consular schedules.
“Fixers”, secretarial shops, or “notario público” kiosks without a lawyer-notary are illegal; documents notarized by them are void, and both the operator and the party risk criminal and administrative liability.

3) Where, when, and how notarization may occur (affects pricing)

Venue & jurisdiction. The act must be done within the notary’s commissioned area. Out-of-office or after-hours notarization is permissible if the Rules and the notary’s commission allow it; travel/expedite fees may apply but must be reasonable and disclosed up front.
Personal appearance. The signatory must appear before the notary at the time of notarization (exceptions exist for remote notarization—see §10).
Competent evidence of identity. Government-issued photo ID with signature and number (e.g., passport, driver’s license, UMID/PhilSys). Merely presenting a community tax certificate (cedula) is not sufficient.
Notarial register & seal. Every act is logged; the notary issues a notarial certificate (acknowledgment, jurat, etc.) and affixes a seal.

4) What “reasonable” fees usually account for

Type of act
- Acknowledgment (typical for deeds, SPAs, waivers, contracts)
- Jurat (affidavits, sworn statements)
- Copy certification (true copies)
- Oaths/affirmations
Document complexity/value/special risk
- Multi-page deeds, multiple signatories/appearances, cross-checks of authority (e.g., corporate board resolutions, attorney-in-fact capacity)
- Transactions implicating high value or property rights (extra diligence, identity checks, capacity verification)
Logistics
- Rush/after-hours slots, house calls, or off-site location
- Remote notarization (platform, recording, ID verification flows)
Administrative overhead
- Drafting or pre-review (only if requested—this is legal work and should be separately quoted)
- Printing, photocopying, certified true copies, courier

Rule of thumb: The notarial fee should correlate to the act performed, not to the windfall value of the underlying transaction, unless the engagement includes legal drafting/review that justifies a professional fee beyond the notarial act.

5) Typical structures you’ll see (illustrative—not mandatory)

While numbers vary by city and IBP chapter guidance, most law offices use a tiered schedule:

Simple jurat/affidavit (one signer, up to X pages) → Base fee
Additional signer (same document, same appearance) → Add-on per signer
Additional exhibit/page (after a page limit) → Add-on per page
Acknowledgment (contracts, SPAs, deeds) → Higher base fee reflecting risk checks
Corporate signatory / representative capacity → Verification add-on (board resolution/SPA review)
Certified true copy → Per copy/per page
House call / off-site → Travel time + transport (fixed or by zone)
Rush / after-hours / weekend → Premium (percentage or flat)
Remote notarization → Technology + compliance add-on (see §10)

All extras should be itemized on an Official Receipt (OR).

6) What must be itemized separately from the notarial fee

DST (Documentary Stamp Tax) and other BIR taxes on the document
Registry or recording fees (e.g., for deeds presented to the Register of Deeds—these are not notarial fees)
Apostille/legalization costs (DFA or consular)
Courier/handling/printing
Legal drafting/review (if you asked the lawyer to prepare or vet the document—this is a professional fee, not a notarial fee)

7) Discounts, waivers, and access to justice

Pro bono / reduced fees are common for indigents, via IBP Legal Aid or the lawyer’s discretion.
Senior Citizen/PWD discounts may apply to services of professionals; many law offices honor them upon presentation of valid ID and if the payor is the senior/PWD availing the service.

8) Red flags and invalid practices

Blank or incomplete documents presented for notarization.
No personal appearance or appearance by someone else without lawful authority; “walk-in notarization” of signatures previously made in private.
Expired IDs, identity doubt, or signatory lacking legal capacity (e.g., clearly unaware or coerced).
Venue mismatch (act performed outside the notary’s commissioned area).
“Rubber stamp” shops without a lawyer-notary; photocopied seals; missing notarial certificate wording.
All-in pricing that bundles taxes and third-party charges without itemization.

A notary must refuse the act in these scenarios.

9) Paperwork you should receive/pay attention to

Signed, sealed notarial certificate (acknowledgment/jurat language) attached to your document
Notarial seal impression and document number/page/book/year references to the notarial register
Official Receipt detailing: notarial fee, any professional fee for drafting/review, DST (if paid through the office), and incidental charges

Keep originals—you’ll need them for registries, banks, and agencies.

10) Remote notarization (e-notarization) in the Philippines

The Supreme Court allows remote notarization for eligible paper documents under specific interim/updated rules.
Core requirements typically include:
- Real-time audio-video link with recording;
- Enhanced identity verification and presentation of IDs to camera;
- Document routing/signature protocols;
- Jurisdictional compliance (the notary’s commissioned area still matters).
Fee impact: Expect an add-on for the platform, identity checks, recording retention, and logistics. Fees must still be reasonable, disclosed beforehand, and broken down on the OR.

11) Practical fee-planning checklist (for clients)

Specify the act you need (acknowledgment vs jurat vs copy certification).
Count signers and pages; note exhibits/attachments.
List IDs you will bring (valid, unexpired, government-issued).
Confirm venue (office visit vs house call vs remote).
Ask for a quote with itemization (notarial fee vs legal drafting vs DST vs incidentals).
Book a slot (some offices require appointments, especially for multiple signers).
Request an OR with all items properly described.

12) Sample transparent fee matrix (template)

Notarial act (base): • Jurat (≤ 2 pages, 1 signer): ₱___ • Acknowledgment (≤ 4 pages, 1 signer): ₱___

Add-ons: • Additional signer (same appearance): ₱___ each • Additional pages/exhibits: ₱___ per page • Corporate/agency capacity verification: ₱___ • Certified true copy: ₱___ per page • Travel/house call: ₱___ (zone) / ₱___ (per hour) + transport • Rush/after-hours/weekend premium: ₱___ or % • Remote notarization set-up/compliance: ₱_

Separately billed (if applicable): • Legal drafting/review: ₱___ (fixed) / ₱___ per hour • Documentary Stamp Tax (BIR): ₱___ • Printing/photocopy/courier: ₱___

(Fill in based on your locality and IBP chapter guidance.)

13) For law offices and notaries: fee ethics in a nutshell

Publish or make available a clear schedule.
No unconscionable fees; calibrate to time, skill, responsibility, risk, and locality.
No sharing of fees with non-lawyers (avoid arrangements with fixers/shops).
Keep a proper notarial register, preserve AV recordings (for remote), issue ORs, and comply with BIR and privacy rules.

14) Bottom line

The Philippines has standards but not fixed national prices for notarization.
Expect fees to vary by type of act, signers/pages, complexity, and logistics—with remote notarization justifying a transparent compliance add-on.
Always insist on personal appearance (or compliant remote appearance), proper IDs, a sealed notarial certificate, and an Official Receipt that itemizes the notarial fee separately from taxes and incidentals.

If you want, tell me your document type, number of signers, pages, and whether you prefer office, house call, or remote—I can draft a bespoke fee breakdown and a short client checklist you can hand to the notary.