How to Become a Notary in Louisiana (2026): Requirements, Cost & Steps

Requirements verified July 19, 2026 against Louisiana Secretary of State

Louisiana commissions notaries for life, but getting there is the hardest path in the country for non-attorneys: a $35 Application to Qualify, a $30 pre-assessment, a $100 state exam that most candidates fail, a $50,000 bond, and a $35 commission filing fee. Plan on roughly $300 in state fees alone, plus study materials and bond costs.

Louisiana is the one state where 'notary' means something close to what it means in France: a civil-law officer who can draft and execute authentic acts, not just witness signatures. The state guards that power with the toughest notary exam in the country — the Secretary of State's own statistics show most sittings pass fewer than one candidate in four — and rewards those who clear it with a lifetime commission that never needs renewing.

The mechanics: file a $35 Application to Qualify for your parish (you must live there, be a registered voter there, and hold a high school diploma or GED), take a $30 online pre-assessment, then register for the $100 state exam given through LSU's testing office. Pass, and you file a $50,000 bond, two oaths, your official signature, and a $35 commission fee. All-in state costs land near $300 before the bond premium and study materials, and the $100 official study guide is effectively mandatory since the exam is drawn from it.

Two recent changes are worth knowing. Since February 1, 2026, the bond requirement is $50,000 — five times the old amount — and an E&O policy no longer counts in its place. And since February 2022, commissioned Louisiana notaries can register for remote online notarization with a one-time $100 fee after completing the state's short online course. The lifetime commission still comes with homework: an annual report to the Secretary of State and a bond renewal every five years, or you're suspended.

Who can become a notary in Louisiana?

• Age: at least 18 years old.
• Residency: You must be a resident citizen or resident alien of Louisiana and you apply for the parish where you live — you must be registered to vote in that parish. Non-residents generally cannot become Louisiana notaries, though out-of-state attorneys can apply for a limited non-resident ex officio status ($35).
• Background: The Secretary of State requires that you have not been convicted of a felony, unless you have been pardoned. Disclose any history on the Application to Qualify and contact the Notary Division before paying fees if you are unsure.
• Hold a high school diploma, an approved home-study diploma, or a high school equivalency diploma (GED).
• Be able to read, write, speak, and be sufficiently knowledgeable in English.
• Pass the state notary exam unless you are licensed to practice law in Louisiana — attorneys are exempt from the exam.

How to apply: step by step

1. File the Application to Qualify for Appointment as Notary Public with the Louisiana Secretary of State ($35). You can file online through the SOS notary portal, by mail, or in person in Baton Rouge. This and the pre-assessment must be complete at least 37 days before your exam date.
2. Take the online Notary Exam Pre-Assessment ($30). It does not block you from the exam — you just need a score on record — but it shows you how ready you are.
3. Register for the state notary exam ($100). Registration closes 30 days before the test date. The exam is administered for the Secretary of State by LSU's Office of Testing & Evaluation Services.
4. Study and sit for the exam. Buy the current edition of the official study guide, 'Fundamentals of Louisiana Notarial Law and Practice' ($100 from the SOS) — the exam is drawn from it, and old editions are not enough. Most candidates also take a prep course, though no course is required by law.
5. After you pass, buy a $50,000 notary surety bond (or qualify with a $50,000 personal surety) from a company licensed in Louisiana. Bonds must be renewed every five years ($20 renewal filing with the SOS).
6. File your commission paperwork with the Secretary of State: two executed Oath of Office forms (one is filed with your parish Clerk of Court), the Official Notarial Signature form, proof of your bond, and the $35 commission filing fee. The SOS then issues your commission on behalf of the governor.
7. Start notarizing — and keep your status active. Louisiana notaries must file an annual report with the Secretary of State and keep the bond current; a past-due report or expired bond puts your commission on suspended status.

How long it takes: The Secretary of State does not publish a standard turnaround for qualifying or commissioning. The fixed deadlines are on the front end: your Application to Qualify and pre-assessment must be done at least 37 days before the exam, and exam registration closes 30 days out. Confirm current timing with the SOS Notary Division.

What it costs in Louisiana

Exam and training

Exam: Required for everyone except Louisiana-licensed attorneys, and it is genuinely hard. The Secretary of State's own published statistics show pass rates that usually land between about 10% and 25% per sitting — most test dates in 2024–2026 came in under 25%. The five-hour exam tests real civil-law drafting and doctrine, not just procedure, and is administered through LSU's testing office.

No class or course is required by law. In practice, most successful candidates use a prep course or study group; the SOS keeps an Education Provider Registry of course providers, and the official $100 study guide is the source material for the exam.

Can you notarize online in Louisiana? RON allowed

Yes — Louisiana authorizes remote online notarization (RON). Authorized by Louisiana's Remote Online Notarization Act, R.S. 35:621 et seq.; the Secretary of State began accepting RON registrations February 1, 2022.

To add RON to your commission: You must be a commissioned Louisiana notary who resides in Louisiana. Then: complete the SOS online RON instruction course and pass its quiz (you get a PDF certificate), pick one or more technology providers from the state's approved list, and submit the RON registration through your online notary account with the certificate attached, paying a one-time $100 filing fee. Provider platform costs are separate.

Full guide: how to become a remote online notary.

After you're commissioned

Get your stamp and journal. Louisiana does not require a seal or stamp — the SOS states that 'a Louisiana notary's signature is his seal.' You must sign exactly as shown on the Official Notarial Signature form filed with the state, and you should include your name, notary/bar ID number, and parish. Many notaries still buy a stamp with this information for convenience, and receiving parties sometimes expect one. See the new-notary supplies checklist and Louisiana stamp requirements before you order.

What you can charge: Louisiana sets no statutory fee schedule for notaries — the SOS says plainly that no law determines or limits what a notary may charge. Given how much a Louisiana commission can do (drafting and executing authentic acts), fees here are set by the market.

E&O insurance: E&O insurance is optional and protects you rather than the public. Note the 2026 change: an E&O policy can no longer substitute for the bond — since February 1, 2026 the $50,000 bond or personal surety is mandatory, with E&O purely supplemental.

Earning more with your commission

Most new notaries who turn the commission into real income do it through loan signings — notarizing mortgage document packages for title companies. If that interests you, start with what a loan signing agent actually does and earns. Loan signing agent guide

Louisiana notary FAQ