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Louisiana Notary Public — Requirements & Free Practice

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Notary Public

Regular parish commission; statewide authority is available to Louisiana attorneys and notaries who have passed the statewide examination. The commission is for life, subject to qualifications, bond, reporting, and suspension requirements.

Licensing authority: Louisiana Secretary of State · Application information

Additional commission based on maintaining an office in another parish
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
File oaths, official signature, required bond, and commission fee; the rule limits dual commissions to a parish not reciprocal with the existing parish.
Bond
Statutory $50,000 bond governs non-attorneys; the compiled rule still lists the superseded $10,000 amount.
Existing Commission
Hold a valid Louisiana commission; additional commission limited to one other office parish.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Renew bond or restore authority after bond suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Amount
$50,000 as required by current R.S. 35:71(A).
Filing
File the new or renewed bond with the Secretary of State; suspended authority remains suspended until bond is in force and filed.
Renewal
Renew bond every five years except personal surety, which must be renewed upon the surety death.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Cure voter registration suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Filing
Register as a voter in the commission parish within ten days of receipt of the suspension notice; otherwise revocation proceedings are referred to the district attorney or attorney general.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Commission for a non attorney previously commissioned outside Louisiana

All of the following:

Age
At least 18 years old.
Application
Secretary of State approval of the Application to Qualify; $35 application fee.
Bond
Non-attorneys must maintain and file a $50,000 bond under R.S. 35:71, effective February 1, 2026. The current LAC compilation still states $10,000; the statute controls.
Capacity
Not under interdiction or incapable of serving because of mental infirmity.
Character
Sworn application attesting to good moral character, integrity, and sober habits; district-court character review when required.
Commission Documents
Oath of office, official signature, and required bond; Senate confirmation where required by R.S. 35:201.
Courses
No preparation course or class is required by law.
Criminal History
No felony conviction unless pardoned.
Education
High school diploma, approved home-study diploma, or qualifying high-school-equivalency diploma.
English
Read, write, speak, and be sufficiently knowledgeable of English.
Pre Assessment
Complete the pre-assessment once; no passing score required. Previously received scores never expire.
Prior Commission
The prior out-of-state commission does not transfer or waive the Louisiana written examination.
Registration Timing
Complete qualification and pre-assessment at least 37 days before the examination; state-exam registration at least 30 days before the examination.
Residence
Resident citizen or alien of Louisiana; initial commission in the parish of residence.
Voter Registration
Resident citizens must be registered voters in the parish of their residence commission under R.S. 35:191(B). The Secretary of State Application Process page lists voter registration for applicants without this citizenship distinction.
Initial commission for an attorney admitted to practice in Louisiana
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
File the qualifying application, administered oath of office, official signature, and commission documents.
Exemptions
Both pre-assessment and state examination are dispensed with by R.S. 35:191(C); attorney bond exemption under R.S. 35:72.
Law License
Duly admitted to practice law in Louisiana; file a Louisiana Supreme Court certificate of good standing.
Residence
Regular attorney commission is in the parish of residence; statewide notarial authority.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial commission by examination

All of the following:

Age
At least 18 years old.
Application
Secretary of State approval of the Application to Qualify; $35 application fee.
Bond
Non-attorneys must maintain and file a $50,000 bond under R.S. 35:71, effective February 1, 2026. The current LAC compilation still states $10,000; the statute controls.
Capacity
Not under interdiction or incapable of serving because of mental infirmity.
Character
Sworn application attesting to good moral character, integrity, and sober habits; district-court character review when required.
Commission Documents
Oath of office, official signature, and required bond; Senate confirmation where required by R.S. 35:201.
Courses
No preparation course or class is required by law.
Criminal History
No felony conviction unless pardoned.
Education
High school diploma, approved home-study diploma, or qualifying high-school-equivalency diploma.
English
Read, write, speak, and be sufficiently knowledgeable of English.
Pre Assessment
Complete the pre-assessment once; no passing score required. Previously received scores never expire.
Registration Timing
Complete qualification and pre-assessment at least 37 days before the examination; state-exam registration at least 30 days before the examination.
Residence
Resident citizen or alien of Louisiana; initial commission in the parish of residence.
Voter Registration
Resident citizens must be registered voters in the parish of their residence commission under R.S. 35:191(B). The Secretary of State Application Process page lists voter registration for applicants without this citizenship distinction.
Military leave
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Military Service
Apply in writing certifying service in the United States or Louisiana military and state bond expiration.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Maintain regular commission through annual reporting
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Filing
Regular non-attorney notaries file complete signed reports with filing fees by the commission anniversary; statutory leave and inactive retirement exceptions apply.
Term
The regular commission is for life; annual reporting maintains its active authority.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Ordinary leave
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Absence
Request leave through the Secretary of State on behalf of the Governor for no more than 36 months; the implementing rule calls for a letter specifying departure and return dates.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reappointment after resignation by a Louisiana attorney
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Law License
Duly admitted to practice law in Louisiana.
Reapplication
Complete qualifying and commission documents again; statutory attorney exemption dispenses with both assessments.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reappointment after resignation by a non attorney

All of the following:

Age
At least 18 years old.
Application
Secretary of State approval of the Application to Qualify; $35 application fee.
Bond
Non-attorneys must maintain and file a $50,000 bond under R.S. 35:71, effective February 1, 2026. The current LAC compilation still states $10,000; the statute controls.
Capacity
Not under interdiction or incapable of serving because of mental infirmity.
Character
Sworn application attesting to good moral character, integrity, and sober habits; district-court character review when required.
Commission Documents
Oath of office, official signature, and required bond; Senate confirmation where required by R.S. 35:201.
Courses
No preparation course or class is required by law.
Criminal History
No felony conviction unless pardoned.
Education
High school diploma, approved home-study diploma, or qualifying high-school-equivalency diploma.
English
Read, write, speak, and be sufficiently knowledgeable of English.
Pre Assessment
Complete the pre-assessment once; no passing score required. Previously received scores never expire.
Registration Timing
Complete qualification and pre-assessment at least 37 days before the examination; state-exam registration at least 30 days before the examination.
Residence
Resident citizen or alien of Louisiana; initial commission in the parish of residence.
Resignation
The resigned commission is no longer valid; complete the application process again under LAC 46:XLVI.127. Previously completed pre-assessment may be reused.
Voter Registration
Resident citizens must be registered voters in the parish of their residence commission under R.S. 35:191(B). The Secretary of State Application Process page lists voter registration for applicants without this citizenship distinction.
Reinstate commission after reversal of conviction or pardon
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Criminal Disposition
The conviction underlying the suspension is reversed on appeal or pardoned; the statute terminates suspension and reinstates the commission.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

  • R.S. 35:16(C)

    R.S. 35:16(C) — statutory reinstatement of suspended commission

Restore authority after annual report suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Filing
File the required current annual report and pay accrued fees and late charges for no more than three years connected to the suspension.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

  • R.S. 35:202(C)

    R.S. 35:202(C) — restoration following reporting suspension

Elect special inactive commission status on retirement
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Age
Regularly commissioned non-attorney aged 70 or older.
Filing
Written retirement-status request and affidavit certifying no exercise of notarial duties while inactive.
Inactive Duties
No bond or annual report required while inactive; notify address changes.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

  • R.S. 35:202(G)

    R.S. 35:202(G) — inactive retirement status and resumption

Resume active status from inactive retirement
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Existing Commission
The special inactive status is a status of the existing regular commission.
Filing
File a current annual report, pay required fees, and post the bond then required by law.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

  • R.S. 35:202(G)

    R.S. 35:202(G) — inactive retirement status and resumption

Return from military leave
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Return
Leave ends 60 days after discharge under R.S. 35:133; apply for a replacement bond within that period if it expired during service.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Statewide authority for a commissioned non attorney without the statewide examination
Louisiana State Notary Exam
Effect Of Failure
Failure does not affect the existing commission.
Existing Commission
Regularly commissioned non-attorney who has not passed the statewide examination on or after June 13, 2005.
Pre Assessment
Pre-assessment dispensed with for a current valid commission.
Registration
R.S. 35:191(P)(2) says register directly and pay the fee at least 45 days before the examination. The Secretary of State Get Exam Information page asks commissioned-notary applicants to register before its published registration deadline.
Residence parish transfer for a Louisiana attorney
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Law License
Louisiana attorney holding a current valid commission.
Residence Change
Submit qualifying application, oaths, signature, and commission filing fee for the new parish; attorney bond exemption.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Transfer of residence commission after holding a valid commission for five years
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Prior Commission
Held a valid commission in or for a parish for five years.
Residence Change
Comply with application and qualifying requirements for the new residence parish and R.S. 35:201, except examination.
Transition
Former residence commission remains valid for 60 days while qualifying for the new parish; retaining it as an office commission requires an office-location affidavit.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Transfer of residence commission based on a passed statewide examination
Louisiana State Notary Exam
Pre Assessment Waiver
A currently valid Louisiana commission dispenses with the pre-assessment.
Prior Examination
Taken and passed the R.S. 35:191.1 examination on or after June 13, 2005; no new sitting required for transfer.
Residence Change
Meet the new-parish application and R.S. 35:201 requirements; former commission remains valid for the statutory 60-day transition.

Notary Exam Pre-Assessment

Provider
Louisiana Secretary of State and LSU Office of Testing & Evaluation Services
Format
Online scored reading-comprehension pre-assessment
Passing score
No minimum or passing score; a returned score is required before registration for the state examination
Examination outline
  • Reading comprehension
Examination sources

Louisiana State Notary Exam

Provider
Louisiana Secretary of State; administered by LSU Office of Testing & Evaluation Services
Format
Computer examination with general-knowledge and scenario-based items
Time limit
Four hours
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 out of 100
Exam fee
$100 examination registration fee
Practice scope

The authority has not published an examination outline; the practice questions follow the scope of the existing question bank.

  • Commission, authority, jurisdiction, and compliance
    • Commission, authority, jurisdiction, and compliance
  • Authentic acts and acts under private signature
    • Authentic acts and acts under private signature
  • Oaths, acknowledgments, corrections, and act contents
    • Oaths, acknowledgments, corrections, and act contents
  • Mandates and representative authority
    • Mandates and representative authority
  • Sales and transfers of property
    • Sales and transfers of property
  • Obligations, mortgages, and authentic evidence
    • Obligations, mortgages, and authentic evidence
  • Donations and related family transactions
    • Donations and related family transactions
  • Testaments and succession instruments
    • Testaments and succession instruments
  • Business entities and organizational acts
    • Business entities and organizational acts
  • Remote online notarization and records
    • Remote online notarization and records
Examination sources