Louisiana Notary Bond Requirements

Is a notary bond required in Louisiana?

Yes. Louisiana R.S. 35:71, as amended by Act 258 of the 2025 Regular Session (HB 259), requires a notary to post and maintain a bond “with good and solvent security, in the amount of … fifty thousand dollars,” conditioned on the faithful performance of all duties, or in the alternative to maintain a minimum of $10,000 in errors and omissions insurance coverage. The Act took effect February 1, 2026, raising the prior $10,000 bond figure to $50,000.

The bond (or insurance in lieu of the bond) protects the public who employ the notary in an official capacity. All notaries required to post bond, or to maintain insurance in lieu of posting bond, must file the bond or evidence of current insurance with the Secretary of State and keep it on file at all times. A notary whose bond or insurance lapses is shown as suspended in the state’s notary database until coverage is restored.

Louisiana is unusual in that notaries are commissioned for a specific parish and, per Attorney General Opinion 1940-42, hold office for life so long as they keep a valid bond or insurance on file. The commission is issued for the notary’s parish of residence.

How to become a notary in Louisiana

1. Confirm eligibility. You must be a resident citizen (or alien) of Louisiana, at least 18, and commissioned in the parish where you reside, meeting the requirements of R.S. 35:191.
2. Submit an application to qualify to the Secretary of State’s office.
3. Complete the mandatory Notary Exam Pre-Assessment (online, taken once), then register for and pass the state notary exam — unless you are licensed to practice law in Louisiana, in which case you are exempt from the exam.
4. After approval, submit your commission documents (oath of office and signature form), and post the required $50,000 bond or file evidence of at least $10,000 in E&O insurance with the Secretary of State.

Bond vs. E&O insurance in Louisiana

Louisiana is one of the states that lets a notary choose between a surety bond and errors and omissions insurance. You may either post a $50,000 surety bond or maintain a minimum of $10,000 in E&O coverage. The two serve different purposes: a surety bond pays members of the public harmed by the notary’s failure to perform duties (and the surety can seek repayment from the notary), while E&O insurance protects the notary’s own finances against claims and defense costs. Either option must be on file with the Secretary of State, and either must remain current for the notary to keep exercising notarial functions.

Renewing your Louisiana commission

Because Louisiana commissions are for life, there is no fixed renewal term for the commission itself. What must be renewed is the underlying bond or insurance: the statute requires notaries to keep a valid bond or evidence of current insurance on file with the Secretary of State at all times, and to file the new or renewed bond or evidence of coverage when the prior one expires. A notary whose bond or insurance expires is suspended until it is replaced.

Non-resident notaries in Louisiana

Louisiana ties the commission to the applicant’s parish of residence, so a notary must be a Louisiana resident commissioned in and for the parish where they live. Attorney-notaries have statewide jurisdiction, but their commission is still issued for their parish of residence. Louisiana does not offer a general non-resident notary commission comparable to some other states.