Sec. 405.031. GENERAL FEES

(a) The secretary of state shall charge for the use of the state the following:

(1) for each official certificate, a fee of $15;

(2) for a certified copy of a record in the secretary of state's office, a fee of $1 a page in addition to the fee for the certificate;

(3) for preparing and furnishing for a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company, or registered limited liability partnership a certificate of existence or authorization that reflects any filing effecting changes to the entity's organizational documents or certificate of registration or authorization and the dates of those filings, a fee of $25; and

(4) for the maintenance by the secretary of state of a record of the service of any process, notice, or demand authorized to be made on the secretary of state as agent, and for forwarding the process, notice, or demand, a fee of $40 per person or party served through the secretary of state.

(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1), the secretary of state shall charge for the use of the state a fee of $10 for the issuance of an apostille requested for use in proceedings related to the adoption of a child in another country, provided that the total fees charged for apostilles issued in connection with the adoption of one child may not exceed $100.

(b) The secretary of state may charge a fee of $5 for a search of records in the secretary of state's office if written evidence of the search is required.

(c) The secretary of state may charge for purchases of public information by commercial users an additional amount, established by the secretary of state, based on employees' time in providing the information. For the purposes of this subsection "commercial user" means a purchaser of microfilm, microfiche, computer tapes, or computer printouts for the purpose of selling, advertising, or distributing a commodity or rendering professional or personal services.

(d) The fees established by the attorney general under Chapter 552 apply to uncertified copies of records in the secretary of state's office.

(e) The secretary of state may set and charge a fee for the use of a credit card to pay a fee assessed by the secretary of state in an amount reasonable and necessary to reimburse the secretary of state for the costs involved in the use of the card. The secretary of state shall deposit the money in the state treasury.

(f) A fee paid under Subsection (a), (a-1), (b), (c), or (d) shall be paid in advance to the secretary of state's office.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 4, Sec. 2.13(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 5, Sec. 3.02(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(96), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 948, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 716 , Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 885 , Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.