Texas mobile notary: what it can cost, and when online works instead
Booking a mobile notary in Dallas–Fort Worth or anywhere in Texas? The notarial fee itself is capped by state law; the trip is usually priced separately. This page summarizes Texas Government Code chapter 406 and the Texas Secretary of State’s notary education page, both checked Nov 7, 2026 (America/New_York). Not legal advice.
The legal maximums (per Texas Gov’t Code §406.024)
| Notarial act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment (most deeds, POAs, consent forms) — first signature | $10 |
| Each additional signature on that acknowledgment | $1 |
| Oath or affirmation with certificate and seal (jurats, affidavits) | $10 |
| Certificate under seal not otherwise provided for / other notarial acts | $10 |
| Online notarization (Texas Online Notary Public), §406.111 | Up to $25 in addition to the fee above |
The statute says a notary “may charge a fee only for an acknowledgment or official act” on that list, and the Secretary of State warns that overcharging can lead to criminal prosecution and loss of the commission. These are ceilings, not required prices; a notary can charge less or nothing. The law also tells the Secretary of State to adjust the amounts for inflation every five years; as of our check, the state’s published schedule still shows the amounts above.
Travel and after-hours fees
Every DFW mobile notary we list advertises coming to you, and mobile notaries commonly quote the trip as a separate travel or convenience charge. Texas statute does not set a travel-fee amount, and we found sources that disagree on how the state treats it: the National Notary Association lists Texas among states where notaries set their own travel fees, while some exam-prep guides point out that the Secretary of State’s fee schedule lists no travel fee. For you as the signer, the practical move is the same either way:
- Ask for a written, itemized quote before they drive out: travel, after-hours or hospital surcharge, and notarial fees as separate lines.
- Count signatures ahead of time (for example, two parents each signing one acknowledgment is two signatures).
- Ask what you owe if the signing can’t happen on arrival, such as an expired ID or a signer who isn’t able to sign that day.
- If the notarial line itself is above the table, ask why. Overcharging is a listed prohibited act.
ID and who has to be present
- The signer must personally appear: physically in front of the notary, or, for online notarization, on approved two-way audio-video. A Texas notary can’t take an acknowledgment over the phone.
- If the notary doesn’t personally know the signer and no credible witness vouches, Texas requires a government-issued ID card or a U.S. passport. A credit card alone is not enough.
- Signer physically unable to sign or make a mark? §406.0165 lets the notary sign for them at their direction, in front of a disinterested witness. Mention this when you book a hospital or care-home visit.
- A Texas notary who isn’t a lawyer can’t pick your form, draft it, or advise you on it. Have the document ready and unsigned; see what to bring.
- Every Texas notary seal must show their name, ID number, and commission expiration, so it’s reasonable to ask for the notary ID number when you book.
When Texas online notarization (RON) can replace a visit
Texas commissions Online Notary Publics who notarize over two-way video after credential analysis and identity proofing of the signer’s ID (§406.110). The signer doesn’t have to be in Texas at the time. Since Jan 1, 2024, Texas law also has a procedure for online notarization of a paper document: you sign on camera, sign an attached declaration, and mail the paper to the online notary within three days (§406.1103).
| Mobile (in person) | Texas online (RON) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee ceiling | §406.024 amounts, plus any travel/convenience charge you agree to | §406.024 amounts + up to $25 per online notarization |
| Good fit | Hospital or care-home signer, no smartphone or webcam, ID problems, recipient insists on wet ink | Signer can use video and has a valid photo ID, recipient accepts electronic or online-notarized documents |
| Watch out for | Travel quote, wait time, facility visiting rules | ID verification failing (worn or expired ID), the receiving agency, court, or foreign country refusing it |
RON platform placeholders (not live links)
Public referral programs exist for consumer remote-online-notary platforms. Figures below are what the vendors’ own pages stated as of a Nov 12, 2026 check; terms change, and we have not been approved. Until affiliate accounts exist, treat these as placeholders only:
- NotaryLive (placeholder): [AFFILIATE_LINK_NOTARYLIVE — not active] · program info: notarylive.com/affiliate-program (public page advertises a 15%+ starting commission)
- Notarize / Proof (placeholder): [AFFILIATE_LINK_NOTARIZE — not active] · partner info: notarize.com/partner (public page advertises 10%+)
- OneNotary (placeholder): [AFFILIATE_LINK_ONENOTARY — not active] · partner info: onenotary.com/partner (public page advertises a 15% commission)
Find a mobile notary in Texas
Dallas–Fort Worth / Plano mobile notaries lists six publicly sourced services, checked Nov 6, 2026.
Sources (checked Nov 7, 2026, America/New_York)
- Texas Government Code ch. 406 (§§406.0091, 406.013, 406.016, 406.0165, 406.024, 406.110, 406.1103, 406.111) — statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Secretary of State, Notary Public Educational Information (fees, ID, prohibited acts, phone acknowledgments) — sos.texas.gov
- National Notary Association, “A guide to Notary travel fees across the United States” (Jul 2021) — nationalnotary.org
- OpenExamPrep, “Texas Notary Fees Per Signature 2026” (contrasting view on travel fees) — open-exam-prep.com