The notary surety bond is the bond form that the Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary Division, accepts from a notary public who is backed by a corporate surety. The principal (the notary) and the surety bind themselves to the governor of Louisiana for the faithful performance of the notary's duties over a five-year period. The PDF opens with a Transmittal Information sheet for payment and contact details. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the bond is filed with the Secretary of State, not through this site.
Last updated
What is SS984N?
The Notary Surety Bond ($50,000) is a Louisiana Secretary of State form headed "Notary Bond", in which a notary public as principal and a corporation licensed to do surety business in Louisiana as surety are held bound to the governor for the notary's faithful performance.
The bond text says the principal and the surety are bound to the governor of the state of Louisiana, or to his successors in office, in the full sum stated on the form. The obligation becomes null and void if the principal faithfully discharges the duties of a notary public in and for the parish named on the form. Otherwise it remains in full force and effect. The bond covers a five-year period, and you write its beginning and ending dates on the form.
The PDF has two parts. The first is a Transmittal Information sheet, marked "For All Notary Filings", where you give the payment method and your contact details. The second is the bond itself, with the parish, the names of the principal and the surety, the principal's mailing address, the five-year period, the date and the signatures. The page is identified as SS984N, Rev. 01/24.
The Secretary of State's forms page lists a separate Personal Surety Bond ($50,000) next to this one. This form names a surety corporation, while the other is a different document, so use the one that matches how your bond is issued.
Who needs to file SS984N?
A person who is a notary public in a Louisiana parish and whose bond is issued by a surety corporation completes this bond with that surety. On the form the notary is the principal and the surety is a corporation duly licensed to do surety business in the State of Louisiana.
The Secretary of State's forms page also lists a Personal Surety Bond ($50,000) as its own form. If your bond is not issued by a surety corporation, check that form and the Notary Division's page at www.sos.la.gov/notary instead of this one.
The form says that notaries file bonds with the filing fee at the Secretary of State. It names no one other than the principal and the surety as signers, and it does not describe any representative who may sign for the notary. The Transmittal Information sheet asks for the name of the person filing the document, so the person who sends the package can be the notary or someone sending it for the notary. For questions about eligibility to be appointed as a notary, contact the Notary Division at (225) 922-0507.
When to file SS984N
File the bond when your notary filing is ready to go to the Secretary of State: the form says notaries file bonds, with the filing fee, at the Secretary of State. It prints no separate due date.
What the form does fix is the term. The bond covers a five-year period, and you enter the date it begins and the date it ends in the sentence that closes the condition paragraph. You also enter the day, month and year in the "Dated this" line. Make sure these dates are filled in and agree with the dates on the surety's records before you send it.
Documents you need
- Payment of the filing fee by check or money order, enclosed with the filing, if you mark Check or Money Order Enclosed on the Transmittal Information sheet.
- If you pay by card instead: a credit card stored in your account at sos.la.gov/notarysignin, with your email address and the last 4 digits of the card written on the form. Never write the full card number on it.
How to fill out SS984N
Choose your payment method
On the Transmittal Information sheet, mark Check or Money Order Enclosed or Use credit card on file. For a card on file, write the last 4 digits and never the full number.
Enter the filer's contact details
Fill in Name of Person Filing Document, Address, City, State, Zip Code, Daytime Phone Number, Fax Number and Email Address. The Division uses your email and the last 4 card digits to find a stored payment.
Name the parish and the principal
On the bond page, write the parish after PARISH OF and the name of the principal (the notary) in the first blank of the opening paragraph.
Add the principal's address and the surety
Enter the principal's mailing address, then the name of the surety, which must be a corporation duly licensed to do surety business in the State of Louisiana.
Name the parish of the notary's service
In the condition paragraph, write the Parish in and for which the principal will serve as notary public.
Enter the five-year period
After "This bond covers a five year period", fill in the date it begins and the date it ends.
Complete the date line
In DATED THIS ___ day of ___, ___, enter the day, the month and the year.
Sign and add the principal's address
The principal signs on Signature of Principal and writes the Address of Principal. The surety signs on Signature of Surety.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that both parishes, the names, the five-year dates and all signatures are complete. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then prepare the filing and payment described under How to submit.
How to submit SS984N
The form points to the Notary Division of the Louisiana Secretary of State and lists these details:
- By mail: P. O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125. The filing instruction at the bottom of the bond gives the same box as P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.
- Physical address: 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809.
- Phone and fax: the Notary Division is listed at (225) 922-0507, with a Notary fax number of (225) 932-5359.
- Website: www.sos.la.gov and www.sos.la.gov/notary.
A filing fee applies; the form and the Secretary of State's fee schedule give the amount. On the Transmittal Information sheet, mark Check or Money Order Enclosed, or mark Use credit card on file and write the last 4 digits of the card on file. Do not write a full card number on the form. To store a card, go to sos.la.gov/notarysignin, create an account if needed, sign in, click Update Master Account, then Manage Saved Payments. Give your email address and the last 4 digits so the Division can retrieve the payment. The fee schedule says credit card payments carry an additional statutory convenience fee.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing a full credit card number on the Transmittal Information sheet; the form says not to include credit card information and asks only for the last 4 digits of the card on file.
- Marking Use credit card on file without first storing a card in your account under Update Master Account and Manage Saved Payments, or without giving your email address and the last 4 digits.
- Leaving out the filing fee; the form says notaries file bonds with the filing fee at the Secretary of State.
- Using a surety that is not a corporation duly licensed to do surety business in the State of Louisiana.
- Leaving the parish blank at the top or in the condition paragraph, where the notary's parish must be named.
- Leaving the beginning and ending dates of the five-year period blank, or entering a period that is not five years.
- Sending the bond without the signature of the principal or of the surety, or without the principal's address.
- Using this form when your bond is a Personal Surety Bond ($50,000), which the Secretary of State lists as a separate form.
Frequently asked questions
What is a notary surety bond in Louisiana?
It is the bond form on which a notary public (the principal) and a corporate surety bind themselves to the governor of Louisiana for the notary's faithful performance. The form covers a five-year period and is filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State.
Who signs the Louisiana notary surety bond?
The principal, who is the notary, signs on the Signature of Principal line and writes the principal's address. The surety signs on the Signature of Surety line. The surety must be a corporation licensed to do surety business in Louisiana.
How long does the notary surety bond cover?
The bond covers a five-year period. You write the beginning and ending dates of that period in the condition paragraph, and you also fill in the date the bond is made on the Dated this line.
Where do I file the Louisiana notary surety bond?
File it with the Secretary of State's Notary Division. The form lists the mailing address P. O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125 and the physical address 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809, and gives (225) 922-0507 for the Division.
Is there a filing fee for the notary bond, and how do I pay?
Yes, a filing fee applies; check the form or the Secretary of State's fee schedule for the amount. Pay by check or money order enclosed, or with a credit card on file by giving its last 4 digits. Card payments carry an additional statutory convenience fee.
How do I use a credit card on file for the notary bond?
Sign in or create an account at sos.la.gov/notarysignin, click Update Master Account, then Manage Saved Payments and store the card. On the form, mark Use credit card on file and write your email address and the card's last 4 digits, never the full number.
What is the difference between this bond and the Personal Surety Bond ($50,000)?
The Secretary of State lists them as two separate forms. This one names a corporation licensed to do surety business in Louisiana as the surety. The Personal Surety Bond ($50,000) is a different document, so use the form that matches your bond.
Can I fill out the notary surety bond online on FillingPDF?
Yes, you can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the bond or take payment; you send it to the Secretary of State through the channels the form lists.
Ready to fill out SS984N?
Fill out SS984N now