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LAPLACE — Devona Bourgeois has always enjoyed helping customers, solving problems and learning new skills. After a few years of working for a full-service public tag agency, Bourgeois decided to branch out on her own with a new business in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Bourgeois Auto Title Service LLC opened June 1 at 1124 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace. The new business is an Express DMV/ Public Tag Agent offering vehicle registration, auto title and notary services to the St. John the Baptist Parish community.

Duplicate titles and registrations, heirships, acts of donations, and bills of sale are just a few examples of what Bourgeois Auto Title Service can offer. Since the business is a brand new public tag agent, there is a one-year waiting period before Bourgeois Auto Title Service can offer driver’s licenses services. However, Bourgeois is still happy to answer questions about driver’s license services and point customers in the right direction.

While public tag agents use the same computer system and offer many of the same services as state offices, a convenience fee charge allows for faster service.

“We pretty much go hand-in-hand with the state, but we are quicker than a regular DMV,” Bourgeois said. “Sometimes people may not want to pay the extra fee, but they realize that if you go to a state office, you could end up spending your whole day there. By us having to charge you a convenience fee, we can’t keep you here. It’s in and out, and we try to make it as fast as possible.”

Bourgeois knows what it is like to sit on the other end of the counter, and she strives to make the customer’s experience as seamless as possible. With the business now open, she’s eager to start laying roots and meeting new people in the River Parishes.

“I try to go the extra mile for my customers. Even if it’s something that I cannot offer, I will help by answering questions. Come in and see us, even if it’s just to ask a question,” Bourgeois said.

Representatives of the River Region Chamber of Commerce and the St. John Parish Economic Development Department introduced themselves to the Bourgeois Auto Title Service LLC team during a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon in LaPlace. Bourgeois Auto Title team members Devona Bourgeois, Tiffany Dillon, Charles Brumfield Jr. and Brittany Green participated in the ceremony.

Business hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Walk-ins are welcome, and no appointment is needed.

For more information, call 985-287-6200 or find Bourgeois Auto Title Service LLC on Facebook and Instagram.