7.4 Commission Maintenance and Renewal

A Lifetime Commission with Ongoing Duties

Louisiana is the only state where a notary commission is granted for life — there is no fixed expiration date, so there is no traditional "renewal" of the commission itself. But a lifetime commission is not maintenance-free. Two recurring obligations keep it alive: the annual report and the 5-year bond renewal. Confusing these two clocks is one of the most common exam errors, so lock them in: the report is yearly, the bond is every five years.

The annual report is mandated by RS 35:202. Every regularly commissioned non-attorney notary must file a completed annual report with the Secretary of State on or before the anniversary date of the commission, together with the filing fee (up to $25 per year). If the notary fails to file the report within 60 days after its due date, the commission is automatically suspended — the notary loses all authority to act until the report is filed and all accrued fees and late charges (a late fee not to exceed $50) are paid.

The earlier version of this chapter said non-attorney notaries "may need" to file an annual report — that is wrong. It is required by statute, and missing it is a leading cause of suspension.

Jurisdiction and Parish Changes

Louisiana once tied notaries to a single parish, but notaries who took and passed the written exam on or after June 13, 2005 have statewide jurisdiction and may exercise their functions in every parish. Attorney notaries also have statewide jurisdiction. A notary who held a valid commission for five years in a parish may likewise expand jurisdiction without a new bond, application, or exam. Older, parish-limited notaries could historically pay a separate exam fee to upgrade to statewide authority.

Even with statewide jurisdiction, a notary must be commissioned in the parish of residence, so relocating still has consequences. A move to a different parish generally requires updating the commission record (and, for older parish-bound notaries, can require a new application and bond). Always notify the SOS of address changes so the notary database stays accurate.

Suspension vs. Revocation

A suspension is curable: file the overdue report or restore the bond, pay the fees, and authority returns. A revocation is the severe sanction reserved for fraud, a disqualifying felony conviction, or repeated misconduct — it ends the commission outright.

Staying Qualified

A notary must continue to meet the eligibility requirements throughout the lifetime commission: Louisiana residency, the absence of a disqualifying felony conviction, and the mental capacity to perform duties. Lose a core qualification and the commission can be revoked.

Exam Anchors

• Commission term: lifetime (no expiration)
• Annual report: required for non-attorneys, due on the commission anniversary, fee up to $25 (RS 35:202)
• Miss the report by 60+ days → automatic suspension
• Bond renewal: every 5 years (RS 35:71)
• Statewide jurisdiction for those passing the exam on/after June 13, 2005 and for attorneys

The Annual Report, Step by Step

The annual report is the maintenance obligation most likely to trip a real notary, so the exam leans on it. Walk through the lifecycle: the SOS sends a report request keyed to the notary's commission anniversary; the non-attorney notary completes it (confirming continued qualification and current contact information) and pays the filing fee, up to $25, on or before that anniversary. Miss the date and a late charge of up to $50 accrues.

Let 60 days pass beyond the due date and the commission is automatically suspended — the notary may not perform any notarial act until the report is filed and all accrued fees and late charges are paid (statute caps back-collection at a set period).

Contrast this with attorneys: an attorney notary's maintenance burden is lighter because attorneys are exempt from the bond. Always read the question for "non-attorney" — the annual report rule and its suspension teeth are framed for the regularly commissioned notary.

Suspension Is Curable; Revocation Is Not

Suspension is a pause: a lapsed bond or a late annual report suspends authority, but filing the missing item and paying the fees restores the commission. Revocation ends it. Grounds for revocation include conviction of a disqualifying felony, fraud in notarial practice, and serious or repeated misconduct. Because the commission is for life, revocation — not expiration — is the primary way a Louisiana commission permanently ends. A notary may also lose the commission by ceasing to meet a core qualification (Louisiana residency, mental capacity, absence of a disqualifying felony).

Jurisdiction, Residency, and Moving

Statewide jurisdiction (for post-June-13-2005 exam passers and attorneys) means a notary can act in any parish, but the notary is still commissioned in the parish of residence, so the SOS must always have a current address. A notary who held a valid parish commission for five years could expand to statewide authority without a new bond, application, or exam. Older parish-bound notaries historically paid a separate exam fee to upgrade. Practical rule: update your address with the SOS promptly after any move so the public database and report notices reach you.

Two Clocks, One Commission

Keep these separate. The most common maintenance mistake — and a favorite exam distractor — is assuming a current bond keeps you fully compliant. It does not; the annual report runs on its own yearly clock and carries its own automatic-suspension trigger.

Exam Anchors

• Commission = lifetime; ended by revocation, not expiration.
• Annual report (non-attorneys): due on anniversary, fee up to $25, late charge up to $50, auto-suspension at 60+ days (RS 35:202).
• Bond renewal: every 5 years (RS 35:71).
• Update address with the SOS after any move.