Louisiana Notary ExamThe notary public office structure in Louisiana is quite different than in all the other 49 states of America. Louisiana has civil law and for that reason the notary public office has many more powers than in other states. These powers, known as the notarial powers, are quite alike legal powers, but lesser in stature and execution. The post of a notary public in Louisiana can be likened to the combined post of Barrister and Lawyer from the other states. A Notary Public in Louisiana is considered to be a civil law notary. They are empowered to perform and prepare several notarial acts of the civil laws. In other states, such acts are performed or prepared by legal practitioners and attorneys. The following are the jobs that notaries public in Louisiana can perform:- They can supply people with information on requisite documents for legal requirements. They can provide services such as an attorney performs in other states. They can help in preparing bonds and some legal notarial documents, though they may be not authorized for signing all of them. They can help people with legalities concerning activities such as loan problems and such that falls under their purview. They can also stand in for another person or an entity in a court of law as a paid service, but only if they are admitted to the bar. In short, notaries public in Louisiana can perform all the functions that notaries public in other states of the republic can perform. To become a notary public in Louisiana, there are fewer requirements than in other states. There is an age requirement - to apply for this post, the applicant must be at least eighteen years of age. But the application is lax on the basis of residency. To become a notary public in Louisiana, you do not need to be a resident of Louisiana. You might be a resident of Phoenix, AZ or Charlotte, NC and still qualify for becoming a notary public in Louisiana. There is an examination to be appeared though. This examination is for the people who are not attorneys yet. Attorneys within the state who are applying for the post are allowed without the exam also. But the attorney license must be from the state of Louisiana itself. The examination is conducted within the state twice a year. Also, the application must be endorsed by the District Judge. The applications are provided from the parish to which the person belongs to. For more information on the application forms, you can search on www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/70/default.aspx. Once the application has been filled out it is sent to the Secretary of the State. Along with, the exam needs to be appeared for (it is exempt for attorneys practicing in Louisiana). Having cleared the exam, the applicants are provided with the complete notary supply package which consists the notary bond from the NNA. This will then make the applicant to complete two Oath of Office form before another notary public or an oath administering official. One of these oaths goes to the parish clerk for court (except in Orleans, where it goes to the civil district court) and the other goes to the Secretary of State. |