Who requires it
Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions — Money transmission
License & permit · Louisiana
Louisiana Money Transmitter Bond
Louisiana money transmitters and sellers of checks license with the Office of Financial Institutions under the Sale of Checks and Money Transmission Act. R.S. 6:1037 requires a surety bond—or approved cash or securities deposit—of at least $25,000 for the first license year, with renewals sized from outstanding checks or annual transmission volume, ordinarily capped at $500,000.
Common bond amount
$25,000–$500,000
Initial minimum $25,000 (or higher by business plan); renewals by outstanding checks or 1% volume, min $25,000, ordinary max $500,000 (up to $1,000,000 after hearing).
How you file
Surety bond, or approved cash/securities deposit, with the Office of Financial Institutions
Renewal
Recompute from annual report; furnish within 30 days of report due date
Who requires it
Applicants and licensees for a Louisiana license to transmit money or sell checks under R.S. 6:1031 et seq. Authorized agents operate under the licensee’s program; they do not each post a separate statewide transmitter bond under § 6:1037.
How much is required
For the initial license year, the statute sets a minimum $25,000 surety, and the commissioner may require a higher amount based on the applicant’s business plan. On renewal, the amount is the greater of the $25,000 floor and either one-half of checks outstanding or one percent of annual money-transmission volume rounded to the nearest thousand, as shown on the annual report—ordinarily not exceeding $500,000. After a hearing on financial condition, the commissioner may require additional amounts up to a total of $1,000,000. Renewal bonds are due within thirty days after the annual report due date.
How to get and file it
Compute the initial or renewal amount under § 6:1037. Have an authorized surety issue the bond to the Office of Financial Institutions, or arrange a qualifying cash or securities deposit the statute allows, then file through the Louisiana money-transmitter / sale-of-checks NMLS process. Furnish the initial bond with the license application. For later years, deliver the recomputed bond within thirty days of the annual report due date. Keep the device continuous; deposit alternatives must maintain market value at least equal to the required amount.
Cost note
Twenty-five thousand dollars up through the statutory renewal formula (and any ordered increase) is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Initial year
- Minimum $25,000; commissioner may set higher from business plan
- Renewal formula
- One-half of checks outstanding or 1% of annual transmission volume (nearest thousand)
- Floor / ordinary cap
- Not less than $25,000; not more than $500,000 (absent hearing increase)
- Authority
- R.S. 6:1037
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is $25,000 enough for every Louisiana money transmitter renewal?
Only when one-half of outstanding checks and one percent of annual transmission volume both stay at or below $25,000. Larger outstanding or volume figures push the renewal amount up to the ordinary $500,000 cap—or higher after a commissioner hearing.
Can I use a deposit instead of a surety?
Yes. R.S. 6:1037 allows cash or listed securities deposited with the commissioner or in an approved Louisiana depository escrow instead of a surety bond, in an amount not less than the required bond amount.
Related Louisiana bond guides
Mortgage Lender Bond
$25,000 or $50,000
Louisiana residential mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators license through the Office of Financial Institutions on NMLS. R.S. 6:1088 requires a surety bond naming OFI. The amount is $25,000 when prior-calendar-year Louisiana residential loan volume is under $100,000,000, and $50,000 when that volume is $100,000,000 or greater.
Credit Repair Services Organization Bond
$100,000
Anyone providing credit repair services to Louisiana consumers must maintain a $100,000 surety bond under R.S. 9:3573.4. The bond is filed with the Louisiana Attorney General—not the Office of Financial Institutions—even though OFI once regulated the activity. OFI no longer issues a credit-repair license, but the statutory surety remains mandatory.
Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
$10,000 / $20,000 / $50,000
Louisiana uses two statewide dealer commissions with different bond amounts. The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission requires a $20,000 bond before issuing a motor vehicle or recreational products dealer license under R.S. 32:1254. The Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission requires a continuing $50,000 surety bond under R.S. 32:791 for used motor vehicle dealer licenses. Used-dealer licenses issued under the LMVC Chapter instead of LUMVC follow a separate $10,000-per-location schedule in R.S. 32:1254(F).
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Louisiana application
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Last verified 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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