Texas notary bond: the $10,000 amount, its cost, and the bonding companies allowed
Texas requires a $10,000 surety bond for each four-year notary commission; it usually sells for a flat $30 to $100.
Notary bond premium in Texas
$30 to $100
once, for the whole 4-year commission
| Bond the law requires | $10,000 |
| Rule | Tex. Gov't Code § 406.010 |
| How it is priced | flat, not rated on credit |
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
Every Texas notary public must secure a $10,000 surety bond from a surety company authorized to write bonds in Texas before the commission is issued. The rule is in section 406.010 of the Government Code, and the Secretary of State's notary page repeats it in the same words. The bond runs for the full four-year commission, is payable to the governor and must be approved by the Secretary of State, which receives it with the application. It protects anyone harmed by an improper notarization, not the notary. Texas sits at the median of the states read for this site, $10,000. Because notary bonds rarely produce claims, sureties sell the Texas bond at a flat price for the whole term, usually without a credit check: about $30 to $100 on published offers. Errors and omissions insurance is a separate, optional policy. Rule read on October 22, 2026.
What the law asks
Section 406.010 of the Texas Government Code sets the bond at $10,000, executed by a solvent surety company authorized to do business in Texas. The Secretary of State's page states it plainly: "A notary public must secure a $10,000 surety bond." The bond is conditioned on the faithful performance of the notary's duties and is payable to the governor for the benefit of anyone injured. The commission is not issued until the Secretary of State approves the bond along with the application and the filing fee.
In practice, most applicants buy the bond through a bonding agency that also files the application for them. The agency submits the bond, the oath and the fee electronically, and the commission certificate comes back once approved. Applicants who file themselves send the bond with the paper or online application.
What it costs, and what it does not cover
A Texas notary bond is one of the cheapest surety bonds in the state. Sureties price it once for the four years, and the published offers range around $30 to $100. Bundles that add a stamp, a journal and insurance cost more, but only the bond is required. If a claim is paid, the surety will ask the notary to repay it in full: the bond protects the public.
That is why many Texas notaries also buy errors and omissions insurance. It pays for the notary's defense and for honest mistakes, and it is the notary's own protection. Texas does not require it, and it never replaces the bond.
Compare with another state or bond
Notary bond premium in Louisiana
$150 to $500
| 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 |
Choosing a Texas notary bonding company
Any bonding company can sell you the bond, as long as the surety that issues it is authorized to do business in Texas, the condition section 406.010 sets. The Texas Department of Insurance publishes a company lookup that shows whether an insurer or surety holds a Texas certificate of authority; the name to check is the surety printed on the bond, not the agency's brand. The Secretary of State does not sell the bond.
Offers differ mainly in what comes with the bond: filing help, a seal, a record book, insurance. Since the bond itself costs about the same everywhere, compare the bond line alone, and make sure the vendor files it within the commission application rather than leaving it to you.
Renewing and changing details
Each new four-year commission needs a new bond; the old one does not carry over. A notary who changes name or address during the term notifies the Secretary of State, and some sureties issue a rider to update the bond. Texas also commissions online notaries, who must hold a traditional commission first and register separately; the $10,000 bond of the traditional commission stays the reference. The notary bond comparison shows how Texas sits next to the Florida and California amounts.
The Texas rule as read
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bond amount | $10,000 |
| Term | 4 years |
| Rule | Tex. Gov't Code § 406.010 |
| Line read | “A notary public must secure a $10,000 surety bond with a solvent surety company authorized to do business in Texas as a surety.” |
| Page | www.sos.state.tx.us |
| Read on | October 22, 2026 |