Louisiana Vehicle Registration

To legally operate a vehicle in Louisiana, LA residents must register their vehicle with the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) either in person or by mail. Louisiana residents will need to provide various documents, including proof of ownership and proof of car insurance to register their vehicles.

Registration fees and taxes vary based on the vehicle and which parish residents live. New Louisiana residents should be prepared to provide the out-of-state title and registration.

Vehicle Registration For New Louisiana Residents

When individuals move to Louisiana, they are required to register their out-of-state motor vehicle with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) within 30 days.

NOTE: Use tax is required for all registered Louisiana vehicles, but Louisiana residents may be able to receive a credit if they’ve already paid sales tax in their previous state.

Vehicles in Louisiana will also need to pass an inspection. Safety inspections are required in all of Louisiana. Some parishes also require emissions inspections.

Before registering a vehicle in Louisiana, residents need to make sure they’ve purchased a valid Louisiana car insurance policy.

To register a vehicle in Louisiana, residents need to present:

The Vehicle Application (Form DPSMV 1799).
Valid driver’s license (or a copy for mailed applications).
The current title and registration.
Proof of a valid Louisiana auto insurance policy.
Proof of sales tax payment IF residents paid tax in another state and will be claiming credit for it.
Payment for fees and taxes.

By mail: Check or money order.

In-person: Credit or debit card, money order, e-check, or cash.

Pelican State residents can submit their registration documents:

Registering A Vehicle in Louisiana

When buying a vehicle in Louisiana, residents must register it with the Louisiana OMV within 40 days of the purchase date. LA residents can register their vehicle by mail or in person.

NOTE: Registration requirements are slightly different for new and used vehicles.

To register a vehicle in Louisiana, residents of this state need to provide:

A completed Vehicle Application (Form DPSMV 1799).
Valid driver’s license or current photo identification.
Proof of an active LA car insurance policy, UNLESS the vehicle was purchased at a dealership.
Proof of purchase, such as:
- A bill of sale.
- An invoice.

Ownership documents:

New car: The manufacturer’s statement of origin, assigned to the resident.
Used car: The title certificate, signed over to the resident AND the vehicle’s current registration.

And

An odometer disclosure statement for vehicles that do not exceed 10 years old. This can be included in the title or in a separate statement.
A loan document IF you financed the vehicle. You can submit:
A UCC-1 Financing Statement.
A security agreement.

A chattel mortgage.
Applicable fees and taxes, payable by: Cash, E-check, money order, debit card, or credit card in person. Check or money order is accepted by mail.

LA residents can submit their application to the address on the form or take it in person to their nearest Louisiana OMV location.

License Plates in Louisiana

The LA OMV offers a standard license plate and several special plates. Louisiana residents will receive a standard license plate when they register their vehicle unless they apply for a specialty plate.

NOTE: In most cases, residents will need an additional form and fee for special plate orders.

Louisiana Vehicle Fees

The fees to register a vehicle in Louisiana vary based on the vehicle’s value and the resident’s location.

When LA resident’s register their vehicle for the first time, they’ll pay:

A title fee: $68.50.
Handling fee (varies by county $8 maximum).
Lien recording fee (if applicable): $10 to $15.
A license plate fee: $20 to $82 based on the value of the vehicle.
Sales and use tax: 4 to 9.5% of your vehicle’s assessed value UNLESS residents are active-duty military.

Eligible for credit for tax paid to another state.
Local or municipal taxes if required in the resident’s parish or city.

NOTE: If the vehicle is financed, you’ll also pay a fee to have the lien recorded. The fee varies based on the documentation you provide.

Residents can learn more about the accepted forms of payment below.

Accepted Payment Methods

Pelican State residents can register their vehicle in person, and pay with:

Cash.
E-check: $1 fee.
Money order.
Credit or debit card: $1.25 PLUS 1% fee.

LA residents can register by mail, and send:

A check (personal, business, or cashiers).
A money order.

Additional Registration Requirements

In some cases, the LA OMV may have different requirements to register certain vehicles.

Vehicle Inspections

Louisiana’s vehicles are required to pass a safety inspection. Some LA parishes also require a smog check as part of the inspection. The vehicle must pass the emissions inspection if residents live in:

Ascension.
East Baton Rouge.
Iberville.
Livingston.
West Baton Rouge.

In Louisiana, residents in this state are required to add a motorcycle endorsement to their Louisiana driver’s license before they can operate their motorcycle.

Motorcycle Registration For Residents New to Louisiana

New residents of Louisiana, who are looking to operate a motorcycle, need to transfer their license or endorsement within 30 days of establishing residency.

New LA residents also need to transfer their motorcycle registration within 30 days of moving to the state of Louisiana. To transfer a motorcycle license, residents can visit their local OMV office and present:

Proper identification:

Valid driver’s license OR official driving record.
Social Security card.
Proof of insurance (if the resident currently owns the vehicle).
Pass a vision exam.
Be accompanied by a parent or guardian with photo ID (if 17 years old or younger).

If the resident’s out-of-state license is current and valid, residents will not be asked to take any exams. The Office of Motor Vehicles will issue an equivalent LA license to the out-of-state license the resident surrenders.

Louisiana Motorcycle Endorsement

Louisiana requires its residents to add a motorcycle endorsement onto a basic license in order to operate a motorcycle in the state.

To get a Louisiana motorcycle endorsement, Louisiana residents can visit their local OMV office and present:

A completed Application for License or Identification Card.
Primary and secondary proofs of identification.
- Residents who have an LA photo ID or driver’s license, no additional identification is required.
Be accompanied by a parent or guardian with photo ID (if 17 years old or younger).
Pay the $12 endorsement fee.
Pass a motorcycle knowledge exam. (To prepare residents for the motorcycle knowledge exam, they can take an online practice test.)
Pass an on-cycle skills test.

For the on-cycle skills test, Louisiana residents need to provide:

Their own motorcycle.
A helmet (must be worn during the exam).
Eye protection (goggles, face shield, or safety glasses) unless your motorcycle has a windshield.

NOTE: LA residents can waive the on-cycle skills exam if they successfully complete a state-approved motorcycle safety course from the Louisiana DPS Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operator Training Program and provide proof of completion when they apply for their endorsement. The first endorsement is valid for 6 years.

Louisiana Motorcycle Safety Courses

The Louisiana Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operator Training Program offer motorcycle safety courses to help LA residents improve their knowledge of the rules of the road and their on-cycle skills.

The Louisiana OMV also allows Louisiana residents to waive their on-cycle skills test if they successfully complete a motorcycle safety course. Louisiana’s residents need to present proof of course completion when they apply for their endorsement.

This motorcycle safety program offers basic, intermediate, and advanced courses. Certain prerequisites may be required.

Basic Rider Course

The Basic Rider Course is offered to students with little experience operating a motorcycle and covers both riding skills and mental preparation. This class takes 15 1/2 hours to complete and involves classroom instruction and practical training on the road in a controlled environment off the street.

Louisiana residents may use their own motorcycle or use a provided motorcycle. Louisiana’s residents who elect to have a motorcycle provided, the course, will cost more.

NOTE: Louisiana residents, who choose to use their own motorcycle, must use a motorcycle with an engine displacement that does not exceed 550 cc.

Intermediate Rider Course

The Intermediate Rider Course is offered to motorcyclists with experience riding who want to improve their mental and practical skills. The course takes 5 hours to complete and is all practical training.

The intermediate rider course will review:

Cornering.
Braking.
Defensive riding and risk management strategies.

In order for LA residents to enroll in this course, they must have either graduated from the Basic Rider Course or have a valid LA motorcycle endorsement. Louisiana’s residents have the option to use their own motorcycle or use a provided motorcycle (at an additional cost).

Advanced Rider Course

The Advanced Course takes 8 hours to complete and includes classroom and on-cycle instruction. The Advanced Rider Course is available for motorcycle riders who have significant experience riding a motorcycle and are looking to fine-tune the following skills:

Managing risk.
Assessing your riding skills.
Braking.
Cornering.
Swerving.
On-cycle behavior.

Louisiana Boat Registration & Title Procedures

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) requires residents of Louisiana to title and register any recently purchased boat within 15 days of purchase. LA residents can start the boat registration process by gathering the following documents:

A completed Boat Registration/Boat and Motor Title Application (Form 55).
Proof of purchase document:
- Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (boats purchased from dealers).
Original notarized bill of sale signed by the buyer AND seller (boats purchased from private sellers) stating the vessel’s:
- Registration number.
- Hull identification number (HIN).
- Make and model year.
- The properly assigned boat title (if applicable).
- If purchased from a dealer, a Boat Registration Tax Payment Certification (Form R-1331).
- If the boat is homemade OR doesn’t have a valid HIN, an Affidavit for Boat Inspection (REV 2015).
Payment for the applicable title and registration fees.

Louisiana’s residents can mail the items above to:

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 14796
Baton Rouge, LA 70898

LA residents need to allow 45 days for the LDWF to mail their boat’s new title and registration to them. All vessels used on Louisiana state waters need to be titled and registered with the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Residents who have additional questions, can call the LDWF’s boat registration line: (225) 765-2898.

LA Vessel Title & Registration Fees

The LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ fees for titling and registering a vessel are as follows:

Original/Renewal Registration – Varies by boat length:

14 ft. or less: $32.
14 ft. 1 in. to 17 ft. 11 in.: $37.
18 ft.: $42.
Over 18 ft.: $42 PLUS $2 for every additional 1 ft.
Original title: $26.
Record/release a lien: Additional $10.
Registration transfer fee: $8.

Duplicate:

Registration certificate: $8.
Registration decal: $13.
Title: $23.
HIN inspection fee: $28.

Sales tax:

State: 4.45% of the purchase price.
Local: Varies according to your LA county of residence.

LA Boat Renewals & Replacements

Registrations are valid for 3 years, and Pelican State residents should receive a renewal notice from the LDWF about 15 days before their renewal month.

Louisiana residents who fail to renew their registration within 60 days of the expiration date, their registration numbers will need to be reinstated via the instructions above.

LA residents can renew their boat’s registration:

Online

Provide information about the vessel AND payment for the applicable renewal fees through the LDWF’s renewal portal.

By Mail

LA residents can submit a completed renewal notice OR Boat Registration/Boat and Motor Title Application (Form 55), along with the appropriate renewal fees to the address on the renewal notice.

Replacing a Lost Registration

Lost vessel titles and registrations must be reported to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries within 15 days of losing/damaging the certificate. Louisiana residents can request duplicates by submitting:

A completed Boat Registration/Boat and Motor Title Application (Form 55).
The necessary title and/or registration replacement fees.

Mail the above to:

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 14796
Baton Rouge, LA 70898

Boater Qualifications in Louisiana

Louisiana residents who were born after January 1, 1984, need to obtain a boater education certificate to operate a motorized boat with over 10 horsepower unsupervised. Otherwise, residents of the state of Louisiana must be supervised by someone who’s 18 years old or older and has completed the course or someone who’s exempt from the education requirement. Louisiana residents must be at least 10 years old to take a boater education course for certification.

Louisiana residents may take the boater education course at any age, however. Additionally, it’s unlawful for anyone under 16 years old to operate a personal watercraft.

Louisiana residents can choose to complete their boater education requirement: