What is a Legal Document Assistant (LDA)?

A Legal Document Assistant (LDA) is defined as someone who helps people prepare legal paperwork when they’re handling a legal matter on their own—without a lawyer. They charge for their services but do not give legal advice. They’re different from secretaries or receptionists because they work directly with the public to complete legal forms.

What LDAs Can Do:

✅ Fill out legal forms exactly as instructed

✅ File and serve legal documents

✅ Provide general legal info (written/approved by a lawyer)

✅ Offer published legal documents

What LDAs Cannot Do:

❌ Give legal advice

❌ Choose legal forms for you

❌ Explain your legal rights or options

❌ Recommend what to do in your case

Important Facts:

• Must be registered and bonded if they charge for services
• Work with people who are representing themselves in legal matters
• Can be an individual or a business

Requirements:

• Complete and sign the application form
• Provide supporting documentation as necessary
• Provide $25,000** bond for LDA registration
• Provide passport photo(s) for ID card(s)
• Be prepared to show valid government issued picture identification

** Bond amounts vary on type of registration and number of registrants. See Filing Information [1] for details.

Fees:

Individual Filing Fee (includes one ID card) - $182.00

Corporation/Partnership Filing Fee (includes one ID card) - $187.00

Each additional ID card - $10.00

Recording Fee - $14.00 (first page of bond)

    $3.00 (each additional page of bond)

Registering - In Person Only 

Complete application for Legal Document Assistant Registration online and bring the completed, signed application and bond with you in person during office hours. We highly recommend scheduling an appointment to ensure shorter wait times and allow time for processing. Be prepared to show government issued photo ID.

Application for Legal Document Assistant Registration [2]

Call us at (760)932-5530 or email us at clerkrecorder@mono.ca.gov [3] to schedule an appointment.

We are located at:

74 N. School Street [4]

Bridgeport, CA 93517

Secondary Registration

An application for secondary registration shall meet all of the above requirements except that in place of filing another original bond or cash deposit, a copy of the bond or cash deposit, certified by the primary county of registration, shall be submitted. The term of registration with the secondary county shall be the remaining balance of the two-year term of coverage of the primary-county bond.

Registration Renewal

The legal document assistant registration is effective for a period of two years, or the bond expiration date, whichever occurs first. The renewal can take place up to 60 days prior to the expiration date; the effective date of the renewal will be the date your current registration expires. As long as the renewal takes place on or before the expiration date, the registration number will remain the same. The above-listed requirements (including fees) still apply when renewing.

To verify that the code requirements have not changed, please visit the website for the Business and Professions Code Sections 6400-6415 via the link below.