Before a notary public commission is issued, the governor must require specified documents and signatures, and the papers must be deposited with the secretary of state after issuance.
§201. Granting of commission; prerequisites A. Before the governor shall issue to the applicant a commission of notary public for any parish, he shall require of him the production of all of the following: (1) The certificate provided by R.S. 35:191(C)(1)(b)(ii), if applicable. (2) His oath of office. (3) His bond, properly executed, approved, and registered as provided in R.S. 35:71. (4) His official signature. B. Upon the issuing of the commission, all of the above shall be deposited in the office of the secretary of state and annexed in the margin of a book to be kept for that purpose by the secretary of state. C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an appointment to the office of notary public that requires the advice and consent of the Senate shall be an interim appointment subject to Senate confirmation as follows: (1) If the legislature is in regular session at the time the appointment is made, the secretary of state on behalf of the governor shall submit for Senate confirmation the name of a qualified appointee within forty-eight hours after the appointment is made. Failure of the Senate to confirm the appointment prior to the end of the session shall constitute a rejection of the appointment and the interim appointment shall terminate. (2) If the legislature is not in regular session at the time the appointment is made, the appointment shall expire at the end of the next regular session, unless the Senate confirms the appointment during that session. (3) Any person whose appointment is not confirmed by the Senate shall not be appointed to the office of notary public in any parish during any recess of the legislature. (4)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, if it is discovered prior to the time that the appointment is submitted to the Senate for confirmation that the interim appointee to hold the office for which a commission has been issued does not meet the qualifications for appointment, the secretary of state on behalf of the governor shall notify the appointee by certified mail that the appointee will not be submitted for Senate confirmation until the appointee meets the qualifications for appointment. The appointee shall thereafter exercise no notarial duties or functions until the appointee meets the qualifications for appointment. If the appointee fails to meet the qualifications for appointment and the appointment terminates or expires as provided in this Subsection, the commission shall be rescinded and the appointee shall surrender his commission to the secretary of state. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, if it is discovered after the appointment has been submitted to the Senate for confirmation, that the interim appointee to hold the office for which a commission has been issued does not meet the qualifications for appointment, the secretary of state on behalf of the governor shall notify the appointee by certified mail that the appointee does not meet the qualifications for appointment. The appointee shall thereafter exercise no notarial duties or functions until the appointee meets the qualifications for appointment. If the appointee fails to meet the qualifications for appointment and the appointment terminates or expires as provided herein, the commission shall be rescinded and the appointee shall surrender his commission to the secretary of state. Added by Acts 1977, No. 451, §2; Acts 2004, No. 562, §1; Acts 2008, No. 856, §1; Acts 2025, No. 258, §1, eff. Feb. 1, 2026.