Standard Notary Public Fees in the Philippines
A comprehensive practitioner’s guide based on the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC) and related issuances
1. Why the Supreme Court, not Congress, sets the scale
Under Article VIII, §5(5) of the 1987 Constitution, the Supreme Court has the exclusive power to “promulgate rules concerning the admission to the practice of law, the Integrated Bar, and legal assistance to the under-privileged.” Because Philippine notaries must be members of the Bar, the Court’s 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (RNP) supplanted all older fee schedules and remain the controlling law country-wide unless amended by a later A.M. resolution or expressly superseded by statute.
2. Core legal texts
| Instrument | Key provisions on fees |
|---|---|
| 2004 RNP, Rule VIII | Sets maximum fees a notary may charge for every defined “notarial act.” The scale applies uniformly in every city and province. |
| Rule XI, §1–3 (2004 RNP) | Requires every commissioned notary to post the approved fee schedule “in a conspicuous place” in his or her office and to issue an official receipt. |
| Code of Professional Responsibility & Accountability (2023) | Overcharging or failure to issue receipts is professional misconduct (Canons I & III). |
| Local circulars of Executive Judges | May repeat the national scale or clarify documentary-stamp requirements, but cannot raise the ceiling. |
3. The Standard Schedule (still in force as of 29 June 2025)
| Notarial Act (Rule II, 2004 RNP) | Maximum Fee (₱) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgment (e.g., deeds of sale, SPA) | 100 for the first two signatures; 50 for every additional signature on the same instrument. | |
| Jurat (affidavits, sworn statements) | 100 per document, regardless of page count. | |
| Signature or mark witnessing | 100 per signatory. | |
| Copy certification (certified true copy) | 100 per page certified. | |
| Oath or affirmation without a jurat (e.g., oath of office) | 100 per person. | |
| Protest of a negotiable instrument | 200 per instrument plus ₱10 for every notice served and the actual cost of mailing or delivery. | |
| Noting a protest | 100 flat. | |
| Every separate notarial certificate (if the notary is asked to attach multiple certificates to the same document) | 100 each. |
No “package deals.” Each notarial act is billed separately; combining several affidavits in one stapled bundle does not authorize a single blanket fee.
4. Travel (or “mobile notary”) fees
Rule VIII §2 allows a notary who leaves the regular place of business to charge:
| Distance from office | Minimum | Maximum | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within same city/municipality | ₱30 | ₱50 | One-time, not per page. |
| Outside but within the same province | ₱30 + ₱5/km | ₱50 + ₱10/km | Computed on the actual round-trip kilometers. |
| Plus: the actual cost of transportation (fuel, toll, fare, etc.) if paid by the notary. |
Travel fees are optional and must be agreed to before the trip; the client may waive or reduce them, but the notary may never exceed the ceiling.
5. Waiver and gratuities
- Pro bono / indigent clients. A notary may waive fees entirely. The waiver—and identity of the indigent client—must be entered in the Notarial Register.
- Tips. Voluntary, modest gratuities are not prohibited but may not be pre-conditioned or demanded.
6. Documentary-stamp tax (DST) is not a notarial fee
The notarization charge is separate from any DST imposed by the National Internal Revenue Code (e.g., ₱30 on most affidavits; 1.5 % of consideration on deeds of sale of real property). The BIR’s documentary stamp is affixed before presentation to the notary, and its value should not be lumped into the notarial fee on the receipt.
7. Receipts, register entries, and posting duties
- Official receipt. A VAT- or OR-compliant receipt stating the exact amount collected and the nature of the act.
- Register. Rule VI requires the fee, OR number, and DST serial number to be recorded.
- Public display. An updated fee card (often 8½″ × 14″) must be posted at the entrance or customer window.
Non-compliance subjects the notary to: (a) suspension/revocation of commission; (b) disciplinary action as a lawyer; and (c) possible criminal liability for estafa or tax violations.
8. Common traps and frequently asked questions
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Can a notary charge more because a document is “complicated” or in a rush? | No. Complexity and urgency are irrelevant—ceilings apply. |
| Is notarization per page or per document? | The RNP pegs fees per act or certificate, except for copy certification (per page). A ten-page SPA with a single acknowledgment = ₱100, not ₱1,000. |
| What if I need five originals of the same affidavit? | Each original signed before the notary is a separate act (₱100 each jurat). Photocopies stamped “Certified True Copy” later are ₱100 per page. |
| How do I complain about overcharging? | Write the Executive Judge of the RTC that issued the notary’s commission, attach the receipt, and request administrative investigation under Rule XI §2. |
| Do barangay captains’ oaths cost the same? | Barangay officials administratively given notarial powers under the Local Government Code cannot charge any fee; they serve gratis within their jurisdiction. |
| Is remote/online notarization allowed with different fees? | As of June 2025 only limited pilot projects (e-Notarization under Supreme Court OCA Circular 154-2024) exist; they mirror the same fee ceilings. |
9. Practical compliance checklist for notaries
- Display the Supreme Court fee card in Filipino and English.
- Prepare serially numbered receipts registered with the BIR.
- Record every centavo in the Notarial Register immediately after the act.
- Keep copies of every instrument for ten (10) years (Rule VI §3).
- Refuse to notarize outside your territorial commission or at a fee above ceiling—even if the client “insists.”
10. Final thoughts
The Philippine notarial fee system is deliberately modest: it balances the notary’s right to fair compensation with public access to a service that “converts” private writings into public instruments. Because improper fees are one of the most common grounds for suspension of a notary’s commission, strict adherence to Rule VIII is both a fiduciary duty and sound self-preservation.
Always confirm the latest Supreme Court circulars for any future adjustment, but until formally amended, the 2004 schedule summarized above remains the governing standard throughout the archipelago.