Digital transaction providers may collect certain vehicle-related taxes and fees, but they must disclose convenience charges before the transaction starts and meet bond and insurance requirements.
§532.4. Digital transaction provider A.(1) The commissioner may enter into an agreement with digital transaction providers, who may be private persons or public or private agencies, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions authorized in R.S. 39:17.2 and 17.5. (2) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, may deny a contract to any person, natural or juridical, seeking to be a digital transaction provider if that person has been found to be in violation of any rule or regulation promulgated by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles. B.(1) Digital transaction providers may collect the registration and renewal license taxes and fees associated with issuance of vehicle registration, driver's license, or identification cards or for reinstatement of driving and motor vehicle registration privileges. (2) Digital transaction providers shall be authorized to collect a convenience charge not to exceed ninety percent of the amount authorized by R.S. 47:532.1(C), provided that the charges are disclosed immediately to the consumer prior to the initiation of the transaction. (3) The amount of the charge collected by the digital transaction provider shall be subject to review and recommendation by the state treasurer and shall be approved by the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs and the House Committee on Ways and Means according to the provisions of R.S. 49:316.1(A)(2)(c). C. The commissioner may authorize the digital transaction provider to process additional applications or transactions. D. The contract between the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, and a person who contracts to perform services pursuant to this Section shall be for a term of two years and may be automatically renewed by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles. E.(1) Each digital transaction provider shall execute a good and sufficient surety bond with a surety company qualified to do business in Louisiana as surety in a sum of one hundred thousand dollars, if a surety bond is available for purchase, which bond shall name the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, as obligee and shall be subject to the condition that, if such digital transaction provider shall, throughout the entire term of the bond, timely file with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, all applications delivered to such digital transaction provider for filing and all taxes and fees collected by such digital transaction provider, the obligation shall be void. If the company does not do so, the obligation of the surety shall remain in full force and effect. (2) The surety bond furnished pursuant to this Subsection shall be delivered to and filed with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles. F. Digital transaction providers shall obtain a cyber liability insurance policy with a company qualified to do business in Louisiana in the amount of one million dollars, which names the state of Louisiana, the department, the department's employees, and the office of technology services and its employees as additional insureds. G. The commissioner shall promulgate rules necessary to implement the provisions of this Section. Acts 2024, No. 152, §1.