Although there is not currently a list of all approximately 155,000 notaries public in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, here are some helpful tips for finding a notary:

Common Places to Look for a Notary

  1. City and town halls
  2. Courts
  3. Banks
  4. Law offices
  5. Insurance companies
  6. Drug stores and pharmacies
  7. In the phone book under "Notary Public"

Responsibilities of a Notary Public

A notary public is a public servant performing a public duty . As such, according to Executive Order No. 455 doc format of Executive Order re: Notaries Public (May, 2004);

  • A notary public is empowered to: administer oaths and affirmations; perform acknowledgments and jurats and witness signatures; issue subpoenas; protest commercial papers; and be present at the removal of the contents of bank safe deposit boxes.
  • A notary public may witness documents for use in Massachusetts and in other states. However, a notary public may only witness documents so long as he or she is physically present in Massachusetts at the time of the notarization.
  • Notaries public cannot decline to notarize a document solely because a person is not conducting business at the notary public's employer. For example, if the notary public works in a bank, the notary public cannot decline to notarize a document because a person is not a client of that bank.
  • In no case may a notary public charge more than the statutory amount for performing a notarization.
  • The notary public must ask for and receive satisfactory evidence of identity (e.g. driver's license, passport)

Enumeration of Fees (as of January 2007)

For the protest of a bill of exchange, order, draft or check for non-acceptance or non-payment, or of a promissory note for non-payment:

  • More than $500: Fee of $1.00
  • Less than $500: Fee of 50 cents

For recording the same

  • Fee of 50 cents

For noting the non-acceptance of non-payment of a bill of exchange, order, draft or check for non-acceptance or non-payment, or of a promissory note for non-payment:

  • Fee of 75 cents

For each notice of the non-acceptance or non-payment of a bill of exchange, order, draft, check, or note, given to a party liable for the payment thereof:

  • Fee of 25 cents

The whole cost of protest, including necessary notices and the record, if the bill, order, draft, check or note is:

  • of the amount of $500 or more: Fee shall not exceed $2.00
  • of the amount less than $500: Fee shall not exceed $1.50

The whole cost of noting, including recording and notices, shall in no case exceed:

  • Fee of $1.25