Failure to post a schedule of fees could result in which penalties?

• A. Administrative penalties
• B. Criminal penalties
• C. Civil penalties
• D. None

Answer: (B)

Notaries must publicly post a schedule of fees so clients know the cost of notarial services. When this posting requirement isn’t met, it’s treated as a violation of Georgia’s Notary Public laws, and those laws designate criminal penalties for such violations. That means the consequence could be charged as a criminal offense, typically a misdemeanor, rather than just an administrative sanction or a civil suit. Administrative penalties could apply for other misconduct, but the specific failure to post the fee schedule is categorized as a criminal violation. Civil penalties would involve damages from a private suit, which isn’t the remedy for this rule violation.