Louisiana notary bond: $50,000 for every notary since 2026
Since February 1, 2026, every Louisiana notary must keep a $50,000 bond; an insurance policy can no longer stand in for it.
Notary bond premium in Louisiana
$150 to $500
once, for the whole commission
| Bond the law requires | $50,000 |
| Rule | La. R.S. 35:71, as amended by Act 258 of 2025 |
| How it is priced | flat, not rated on credit |
| Before February 1, 2026 | $10,000 |
Estimate: flat prices published for $5,000 to $10,000 bonds run from about $20 to $100 for a whole commission; scaled to this bond. Amount read on the official page, October 22, 2026.
Compiled by Radif Partners · Method and sources · rule read October 22, 2026
Louisiana changed its notary security rule more than any other state read for this site. Act 258 of 2025 amended La. R.S. 35:71 so that, from February 1, 2026, every notary public must maintain a bond of $50,000. The legislature's digest states it directly: "New law changes prior law to require that notaries public maintain a bond in the amount of $50,000." Under the prior law a notary could choose between a $10,000 bond and an errors and omissions insurance policy; that choice is gone, and the bond is now mandatory at five times the old amount. Louisiana notary commissions are for life, so the bond must be kept in force continuously, renewed with the surety as long as the notary practices. The price rises with the amount but remains modest for a notary bond: our estimate is about $150 to $500 per term of coverage, and some sureties sell it yearly. Louisiana is tied with Alabama for the highest notary bond read. Rule read on October 22, 2026.
What changed on February 1, 2026
Before 2026, a Louisiana notary filed either a $10,000 surety bond or proof of errors and omissions insurance. Many chose the insurance, which also protected them personally. Act 258 removed that option and raised the security to $50,000, a bond only. Notaries who relied on an insurance policy had to obtain a bond, and those with a $10,000 bond had to raise it. The legislative digest (Louisiana Legislature) is the clearest source for the change.
The stakes are higher than elsewhere: Louisiana notaries draft and execute documents, such as acts of sale and donations, that carry more weight than signatures witnessed in other states, so losses from a notary's error can be large.
A bond for life
A Louisiana notary commission does not expire after four years. The bond therefore has no natural end: the notary keeps it in force by renewing it with the surety, typically for a period of years at a time, and files proof with the Secretary of State. Letting it lapse can lead to suspension of the commission. Attorneys commissioned as notaries are subject to the security rules too, with the exceptions the statute sets.
Louisiana next to other states
Notary bond premium in Texas
$30 to $100
| Bond the law requires | $10,000 |
| Rule | Tex. Gov't Code § 406.010 |
| How it is priced | flat, not rated on credit |
Cost and insurance now
A $50,000 notary bond is still priced like other notary bonds, at a flat rate rather than on credit in most cases. Our estimate is $150 to $500 per term; quotes vary with the term the surety offers. Errors and omissions insurance remains available and is still the only cover that protects the notary personally; it is now in addition to the bond. See how Pennsylvania raised its bond the same year, or compare every state on the notary bond page.
Notaries who held a $10,000 bond before 2026 should check its renewal date: the new amount applies to the bond they file going forward, and the Secretary of State expects proof of the $50,000 bond on file.
The Louisiana rule as read
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bond amount | $50,000 |
| Amount before February 1, 2026 | $10,000 |
| Rule | La. R.S. 35:71, as amended by Act 258 of 2025 |
| Line read | “New law changes prior law to require that notaries public maintain a bond in the amount of $50,000.” |
| Page | legis.la.gov |
| Read on | October 22, 2026 |