Loan signing fees
Refinance, purchase, reverse mortgage, and commercial package fees — broken down by what's included and what drives premium pricing.
$125–$200
Refinance
$150–$250
Purchase
$150–$250
Reverse mortgage
$200–$500+
Commercial
Most loan signing assignments today flow through national signing services (SnapDocs, NotaryDash, Servicelink) that contract with title companies. The title company pays the signing service $200–$300 per package; the signing service keeps $50–$100 and pays the signing agent $125–$200. Direct title-company work — without the signing service middleman — typically pays the agent $150–$225 per package. Specialty work (reverse mortgages, commercial closings, multi-borrower packages) commands $200–$400+.
Printing the loan package (often 2 copies, 100–150 pages each, double-tray legal/letter): $10–$25 in toner and paper. Driving to the signing location and back: 30–90 minutes. The signing appointment itself: 45–90 minutes for a typical refinance, 60–120 minutes for purchases. Notarizing 20–40 signatures within the package. Same-day scan-backs to title and overnight FedEx of originals: $20–$30 in shipping. E&O insurance, background screening, and ongoing certification: $300–$600 annually. The gross $125–$200 fee, after these costs, nets the agent $60–$120 per package.
Reverse mortgages: $150–$250 (more notarizations, mandatory counseling acknowledgments). Purchase packages with seller and buyer at same table: $175–$300. Commercial closings: $200–$500+ (custom packages, longer review). After-hours, weekend, or rush turnaround: $25–$75 premium. Long-distance assignments (40+ miles): $25–$100 mileage on top of base fee. Multi-borrower or witness-required signings: $25–$50 add-on per additional party.
Standard loan signing agent fees in 2025 range from $125–$200 per refinance or purchase package, $150–$250 for reverse mortgages, and $75–$125 for HELOC or seller-side-only packages. Rates vary by market — major metros run higher, rural areas may run lower with added mileage.
The fee is paid by the title company or signing service that hired the agent, and it appears on the borrower's Closing Disclosure as a 'notary' or 'signing fee' line item. Borrowers don't pay the signing agent directly at the table.
A typical refinance package is 100–150 pages with 20–40 notarizations, takes 45–90 minutes to walk through, requires loan-document expertise, includes overnight scan-back of the executed package, and carries E&O insurance — vastly more work than a single-document notarization.
Yes, but typically only between the signing service and the signing agent — not the borrower. Title companies set a package fee; signing services take a cut and pass the remainder to the agent. Direct-hire agents working with local title companies sometimes negotiate higher rates.
The notary fee is the statutory per-signature charge (capped at $5–$25 per state). The signing agent fee is the full package price covering printing, travel, the 45–90 minute signing appointment, scan-backs, FedEx return, and E&O coverage — typically $125–$200 total for a refinance.