Mass. Gen. Laws » Part III Title I Chapter 222
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 222, § 19 (2026)

Duty to perform notarial act upon payment of fee; exceptions

✓ current as of July 2026
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[Text of section applicable pursuant to 2016, 289, Sec. 7.]

Section 19. A notary public shall perform a notarial act for any person requesting such act who tenders the fee provided for in section 41 of chapter 262 or any other general or special law or executive order, unless:

(i) the notary public knows or has reason to believe that the notarial act or the associated transaction is unlawful;

(ii) the principal has a demeanor that causes the notary public to have a compelling doubt about whether the principal knows the consequences of the transaction or document requiring the notarial act;

(iii) the act is prohibited by this chapter or any other applicable law; or

(iv) the number of notarial acts requested practicably precludes completion of all acts at once, in which case, the notary public shall arrange for later completion of the remaining acts.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1 case, 2020–2020 · leading case: Richardson v. The UPS Store, Inc. (Mass. 2020).
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Richardson v. The UPS Store, Inc. (Mass. 2020). · cites it 2× “By their plain language, §§ 16 and 19 require a notary public to provide services after receipt of the appropriate fees, see G. L. c. 222, § 19, and prohibit a notary public from receiving payment in excess of the maximum fees, G.”
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