If a Louisiana certificate of title or registration shows a clerical mistake, you can correct it with a Louisiana Vehicle Affidavit of Correction: a notarized statement, filed with the Office of Motor Vehicles along with the original title, that fixes errors like a misspelled name, a wrong sale date, or a transposed digit in the VIN. The title correction fee is $68.50, and you can file at an OMV field office, through a Public Tag Agent, or by mail.
What the Affidavit Can and Cannot Fix
The affidavit is for minor, non-substantive mistakes on an already-issued title or registration. Common uses include a misspelled owner name, a transposed digit in the Vehicle Identification Number, a wrong model year, or an incorrect date of sale. Buyers and sellers also use it to fix small discrepancies in the odometer disclosure when the mileage recorded on the title doesn’t match what was on the dashboard at transfer.
It cannot change who owns the vehicle. Moving a car from one person to another requires a proper act of sale or donation with a new title application. You also cannot use it to rewrite a sale price to lower sales tax. The correction has to bring the record in line with what was true at the original transaction, not change the transaction itself. When the error is caught after a title has been issued, the title and the registration have to be corrected together.1Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Office of Motor Vehicles Title Correction Policy
What to Gather Before You Sign
Have these ready before you prepare the affidavit:
- The original certificate of title. You have to surrender it, and the OMV voids the old title before issuing the corrected one.
- The full seventeen-character VIN, year, make, model, and body style as they should correctly appear.
- The exact incorrect information as it currently reads on the title, alongside the correct information that should replace it.
- A short statement of how the error occurred, which helps OMV staff process the correction without follow-up.
- Any paperwork that confirms the correct information. A bill of sale can prove the actual sale date or price. If no bill of sale is available, the notarized affidavit itself serves as the supporting documentation.1Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Office of Motor Vehicles Title Correction Policy
Everyone involved in the original error should be prepared to sign. If the seller misspelled the buyer’s name on the title, both may need to appear before the notary together so the affidavit reflects agreement on the correct information.
Completing and Notarizing the Affidavit
The affidavit is a straightforward sworn statement. At the top, identify the vehicle by VIN, year, make, and model. In the body, state clearly what is wrong on the current title and what the correct information should be. Keep it simple and specific. For example: “The buyer’s last name is printed as ‘Jonson’ on the current title. The correct spelling is ‘Johnson.'”
Louisiana requires the affidavit to be signed before a Notary Public. The notary verifies your identity, watches you sign, and applies an official seal or stamp. Without notarization, the OMV will reject the document. Notaries are widely available at banks, UPS stores, law offices, and many Public Tag Agent locations. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID.
Correcting an Odometer Reading
Odometer corrections get extra scrutiny because federal law treats odometer tampering seriously. If the mileage printed on the title was a typo during transfer, the affidavit can fix it. Bring the original bill of sale or any documentation showing what the odometer actually read at the time of the transaction. Deliberately altering a reading to misrepresent a vehicle’s true mileage is odometer fraud and carries federal and state penalties. The affidavit is only for honest clerical mistakes.
Where to File
You have three options for submitting the notarized affidavit and surrendering the old title.
OMV Field Office
Walk into any Louisiana OMV field office. You can find the nearest one through the OMV’s online office locator. Filing in person lets you hand over the documents directly and ask questions if anything is unclear. Wait times vary by location and time of month.
Public Tag Agent
Public Tag Agents are authorized to process corrected titles on behalf of the OMV. These private offices often have shorter lines. Under Louisiana law, a Public Tag Agent may charge a convenience fee of up to $23 per transaction on top of the state fees.2Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Auto Title Companies and Public Tag Agents
To handle it remotely, mail the notarized affidavit and the original title to OMV headquarters:3Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Mailing Address
Office of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 64886
Baton Rouge, LA 70896
Include a check or money order for the title correction fee. Because you’re mailing the original title, make a copy for your records before it goes. The corrected title comes back to the registered owner’s address on file.
Fees
The title correction fee is $68.50, the same amount Louisiana charges for a standard certificate of title.4Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration, Title and Plate Fees Filing through a Public Tag Agent can add up to $23 in convenience fees, bringing the potential total to $91.50.
One exception matters: if the error was caused by the OMV rather than by you or the seller, the title correction fee is waived.5Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Office of Motor Vehicles Fee Schedule If you believe the mistake originated at the OMV, say so when you submit your paperwork so staff can verify and apply the exemption.
After You Submit
Once the OMV processes your affidavit, the old title is voided and a new one is printed with the corrected information. If you filed in person or through a Public Tag Agent, your registration record is typically updated at the same time. Mail submissions take longer because documents travel both directions. Most people should expect the corrected title within several weeks, though turnaround depends on current OMV processing volume.
Keep a copy of the notarized affidavit with your vehicle records after the corrected title arrives. If any question about the vehicle’s history comes up in a future sale, the affidavit documents exactly what changed and why.