Louisiana notary commission
Louisiana notary public: a civil-law office with its own exam
File the Application to Qualify with the Secretary of State and a $35 fee, register for the state exam ($100), and pass the five-hour open-book exam with 75% or better. Then file a $50,000 bond with the Secretary of State and pay the $35 commission filing fee. Louisiana notaries have civil-law powers that notaries in other states don't, explained below.
Louisiana qualifications
- A resident citizen or alien of Louisiana, 18 or older (R.S. 35:191(A)(1)).
- Able to read, write and speak English, with a high school diploma, a state-approved home study diploma or a high school equivalency diploma.
- Not under interdiction or incapable because of mental infirmity, and no felony conviction unless pardoned.
- A registered voter of your parish of residence, if you are appointed there as a resident citizen.
- Of good moral character, integrity and sober habits; a district court may review an applicant.
- You pass the state notary exam. Attorneys admitted in Louisiana are exempt from the exam.
Source: Become a Louisiana Notary, Secretary of State.
Application, exam and bond in Louisiana
- File the Application to Qualify. With the Secretary of State, the $35 application fee and any attachments, such as proof of immigration status.
- Take the online pre-assessment. Required for non-attorney applicants before you register for the exam. There is no minimum score.
- Register for the exam. Send the registration form and the $100 fee so they arrive at least 30 days before the exam, which is given at least twice a year.
- Pass the exam. One five-hour, open-book sitting using only the 2025 edition of the Secretary of State's study guide. The pass mark is 75%, and you may retake it as often as you like.
- File the bond and commission. File a $50,000 bond with the Secretary of State and pay the $35 commission filing fee, then follow the Notary Division's instructions to complete your commission.
Source: Become a Louisiana Notary, Secretary of State.
Louisiana's state fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application to Qualify | $35 R.S. 35:191(C)(1)(c). |
| Exam registration | $100 Per sitting. |
| Commission filing | $35 Listed on the application. |
| $50,000 bond premium | Set by surety Filed with the Secretary of State. |
| Remote online notary filing | $100 Optional, one time. |
The application, exam and commission filing come to $170. Louisiana has no statutory fee schedule limiting what a notary may charge (LAC 46:XLVI.135).
Source: Become a Louisiana Notary, Secretary of State; Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 46, Part XLVI.
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Louisiana's application, exam and $50,000 bond steps, the R.S. 35:2 powers and authentic acts explained, the no-fee-schedule rule, seal and ID-number rules, remote online registration and its exclusions, a checklist, a budget and record pages.
Keeping a Louisiana commission active
Your $50,000 bond is renewed every five years, and a lapsed bond suspends your commission (R.S. 35:71). An annual report is due each year around your commission anniversary; the Notary Division mails a notice within 60 days before it, and not filing leads to suspension.
Notaries who passed the exam on or after June 13, 2005, and attorneys, may act in every parish (R.S. 35:191(P)). Show the notary ID number the Secretary assigned you next to your name on every document.
Source: Become a Louisiana Notary, Secretary of State; Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 46, Part XLVI.
Remote online notarization in Louisiana
Commissioned Louisiana notaries who register with the Secretary of State may notarize remotely: complete the online course and quiz, pick a provider from the Secretary's list, and pay a one-time $100 filing fee. You must be in a Louisiana parish where you may act, and a witness must be in the party's physical presence.
Remote notarization cannot be used to execute an authentic act under Civil Code article 1833, or for wills and codicils, trust instruments, inter vivos donations, matrimonial agreements or certain spousal support acts (R.S. 35:623). Keep electronic copies and recordings at least 10 years.
Source: Become a Remote Online Notary, Secretary of State.
Why a Louisiana notary's powers differ from other states'
A Louisiana notary's powers differ from those of notaries in other states. Within their parish, R.S. 35:2(A)(1) lets notaries make inventories, appraisements and partitions; receive wills, protests, matrimonial contracts, conveyances and other contracts and instruments; hold family meetings and meetings of creditors; receive acknowledgments; make affidavits of correction; and affix and remove seals on the property of deceased persons.
Acts a notary executes under Civil Code article 1833 are authentic acts (R.S. 35:2(A)(2)). Article 1833 defines an authentic act as a writing executed before a notary and two witnesses, signed by each party, each witness and the notary. Every Louisiana notary may also administer oaths in any parish and certify true copies of acts passed before them (R.S. 35:2(B), (C)). Don't assume what you read about notaries elsewhere applies in Louisiana, and a notary commission is not a law license.
Source: R.S. 35:2; Civil Code art. 1833.
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Louisiana notary questions
How is a Louisiana notary different from notaries in other states?
Louisiana notaries have civil-law powers set by R.S. 35:2, such as receiving wills and contracts and executing authentic acts under Civil Code article 1833. A commission is still not a law license.
What score do I need on the Louisiana notary exam?
75%. It's a five-hour, open-book exam using only the 2025 study guide, and you may retake it as often as you like.
Do Louisiana attorneys take the notary exam?
No. Attorneys admitted in Louisiana are exempt from the exam.
Can I execute an authentic act remotely in Louisiana?
No. R.S. 35:623 bars remote notarization for authentic acts under Civil Code article 1833.
Is there a maximum notary fee in Louisiana?
No. Louisiana has no statutory fee schedule limiting what a notary can charge.
Guides for other states · Becoming a notary in New Jersey
General information from official Louisiana sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary Division before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the State of Louisiana.