§412.  Ex officio notaries; nonresident persons licensed to practice law with offices in this state

A.  A person licensed to practice law in this state who is not a resident of this state but who maintains an office for the practice of law in this state, shall be a notary public ex officio and is authorized and empowered to exercise all the powers and functions of a regularly commissioned notary public in this state in any parish or parishes in which he maintains an office open to the public for the practice of law, upon filing a certificate of good standing from the Louisiana Supreme Court with the secretary of state.

B.  No person qualified under this Section shall be required to otherwise qualify for, or hold, a regular commission as notary public to exercise such powers; however, the notary public ex officio shall furnish his current office address and residence address to the secretary of state as the registrar of notaries for the state.

C.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any person exercising notarial functions pursuant to this Section is authorized to use the designation "notary public ex officio" with respect to the exercise of his powers, and shall be required to post bond or maintain insurance as required by the provisions of R.S. 35:71.

D.  A notary public ex officio exercising notarial functions as authorized by the provisions of this Section may charge fees for notary services commensurate with the reasonable and customary fees for notarial services in the parish or parishes where the  notary public ex officio maintains his office.

E.  Any exercise of notarial powers pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be deemed the practice of law for purposes of regulation by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

F.  A person authorized as a notary public ex officio pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall exercise his powers and functions as a notary public ex officio only within the parish or parishes in which he maintains an office open to the public for the practice of law in this state.

Acts 2010, No. 692, §1.