Yes. We have seen
this question arise more frequently with the increase of interstate internet
car sales from sites such as Craigslist or eBay. Some states are not “notary states”, and they
do not require that their car titles or bills of sale be notarized. Private sellers, and even professional
dealers, from these states will insist to their buyers that the paperwork does
not require notarization.
However, Louisiana is a notary state. If you are planning to register a vehicle
purchased from another state in Louisiana, Louisiana will require a valid,
notarized bill of sale. Furthermore,
additional fees may be incurred if the paperwork is notarized in Louisiana,
instead of in the state where the vehicle is titled.
To avoid complications in any out-of-state car sales between
private persons, two good rules of thumb
are 1) Always have your title and a bill of sale notarized at the time of the sale, and 2) Procure a copy
of the seller’s ID.
For more information, contact us at
info@thebluestink.com
or (225) 456-2200.
