I often have people ask me if they could use my services as a notary, and not as a lawyer: they generally believe that lawyers always charge more than notaries charge. I tend to stay away from clients who are trying to find a way to get a special deal on their legal services, but I also try to make it clear that my legal fees are very reasonable, and that my services can go beyond what they might expect from a notary. Here are some examples of how my fees for some services compare with fees published in a Vancouver Island notary firm’s brochure.
Simple will (one person):
Notary charges $400; I charge $300
Simple wills (couple):
Notary charges $600; I charge $400
Power of attorney (one person, appointing one attorney):
Notary charges $200; I charge $200
Power of attorney (one person, appointing more than one attorney):
Notary charges $250; I charge $200
Power of attorney (a couple, appointing one attorney):
Notary charges $350; I charge $300
Power of attorney (for a couple, appointing more than one attorney):
Notary charges $425; I charge $300
Additional cost if a representation agreement or power of attorney has to be mailed out for signatures:
Notary charges $75; I charge nothing extra
Representation agreement (one person):
Notary charges $300; I charge $300
Representation agreement (for a couple):
Notary charges $500; I charge $400
Registration of a will (will notice):
Notary charges $20; I charge nothing extra (apart from the fee paid to the government for filing the notice)
*: Taxes are G.S.T. and sales tax on all fees, and on most disbursements paid on your behalf
In each of the above cases, the stated fees represent the work for simple cases; although most matters do fit into the "simple" category, there are exceptions, so you should not assume that your work will always be classed as "simple": your fees could be higher than the fees noted above, and you should verify the total fees before proceeding with your work.
COMPARISONS WITH PUBLISHED FEES FROM A VANCOUVER ISLAND NOTARY
