How to Get a Car Title in Louisiana: Form DPSMV 1799 and Fees

To get a car title in Louisiana, file a completed Vehicle Application Form (DPSMV 1799) with the Office of Motor Vehicles within 40 days of the purchase date, along with proof of ownership, a valid Louisiana ID, proof of insurance, and payment for the title fee, sales tax, and registration.¹ What counts as “proof of ownership” depends on how you bought the vehicle.

Documents You Need

Every title application starts with the same three items: the DPSMV 1799, a Louisiana driver’s license or state-issued ID, and proof of current liability insurance.¹

The ownership documents vary:

New vehicle from a dealer: the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) and an original itemized invoice showing the VIN, make, model, year, and the dealer’s permit number.²
Used vehicle from a private seller: the previous owner’s certificate of title with the assignment on the back properly completed, plus a bill of sale.
Used vehicle from a dealer: the assigned certificate of title and an itemized invoice.
Vehicle brought in from another state: your current out-of-state title, which the OMV surrenders when it issues the Louisiana title.

If you financed the vehicle, add a UCC-1 Financing Statement or other security agreement so the OMV can record the lien on the title.¹

Notarization Rules for Private Sales

Louisiana’s notarization requirement is where a lot of applications get rejected. If you buy from a private seller, the seller must sign the title assignment either in front of a notary or in the presence of two witnesses.¹ Plan to handle the signing together. A title the seller signed alone at home won’t pass.

For vehicles purchased from a Louisiana-licensed dealer on or after January 1, 2023, notarization is not required on the invoice or MSO. The same exemption applies to vehicles sold to a licensed dealer. If you bought from an out-of-state dealer, notarization on the invoice depends on that state’s rules: required if that state requires it, otherwise not.

Donations are stricter. A vehicle transferred by donation must be signed in the presence of both two witnesses and a notary.

Filling Out Form DPSMV 1799

The DPSMV 1799 is the single form used for nearly every title transaction, whether you’re titling a new purchase, transferring an out-of-state title, or requesting a duplicate.³ You can pick one up at any OMV office or download it from the OMV website.

The vehicle section asks for the VIN, make, model, body style, year, and current odometer reading. The owner section asks for your full legal name, address, and driver’s license number, plus co-owner information if applicable. If a lender holds a lien, put the lienholder’s name and address in the lien section. For a vehicle coming from out of state, complete the Out of State Declaration section.³

Where to Submit Your Application

You can file in person at any OMV branch or through a public tag agent. In-person submissions are reviewed on the spot, so paperwork problems surface immediately instead of costing you weeks of back-and-forth.²

To mail an application, send it to the Office of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 64886, Baton Rouge, LA 70896.¹ Send copies of supporting documents rather than originals where you can. Mailed applications can take several weeks, and the OMV recommends calling if you haven’t received your title within 30 days.

Payment methods differ. In-person offices accept credit and debit cards, money orders, e-checks, and cash. Mail submissions require a check or money order.

Fees and Taxes

The base title fee is $68.50.⁴ On top of that:

Sales tax. The state rate is 4.45%, and parishes and cities add their own on top. Combined rates around Louisiana typically fall between 9% and 11%, reaching roughly 12% in some areas. The tax is calculated on the purchase price after any trade-in credit.
License plates. Plate fees run 0.1% of the vehicle’s value per year, sold in two-year increments with a $20 minimum.⁴
Lien recording. $15 if the lender files a UCC-1, $10 for other security agreements.⁴
Safety inspection. Louisiana requires a valid safety inspection certificate for registered vehicles, done at an authorized inspection station that checks your registration, license plate, insurance, and basic safety items.⁵

The 40-Day Deadline and Late Penalties

You have 40 days from the date of purchase to submit the title application with full payment.¹ Miss it and you’ll owe penalties on the sales tax.

The penalty is 5% of the tax owed for every 30 days late, on both the state and local portions, capped at 25% of the total tax.⁶ There is no grace period and no forgiveness process. The calculation is automatic.

Odometer Disclosure Requirements

Federal law requires an odometer disclosure statement for most vehicle transfers, and the age cutoff is not a simple 10-year rule. For transfers happening in 2026, vehicles with a model year of 2010 or older are exempt. Vehicles with a model year of 2011 or newer require a disclosure statement regardless of age, because those vehicles fall under a newer 20-year exemption that won’t begin taking effect until 2031 at the earliest.⁷

On the disclosure, the seller records the odometer reading (without tenths of miles), the date of transfer, and the names and addresses of both parties. The seller also certifies one of three things: that the reading reflects actual mileage, that the mileage exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits, or that the reading doesn’t reflect actual mileage. Both the seller and the buyer sign.⁷ Louisiana uses Form DPSMV 1606 for this.

Moving to Louisiana With a Vehicle

If you move to Louisiana and bring a vehicle, you have 30 days from the date you establish residency to apply for a Louisiana title and registration.¹ You use the same DPSMV 1799 and complete the Out of State Declaration section.³ Bring your current out-of-state title, your Louisiana driver’s license, and proof of Louisiana insurance. The OMV surrenders the old title and issues the Louisiana one. Any recorded lien carries over.

One catch worth flagging: Louisiana does not accept out-of-state titles branded as “Bonded Title” or “Bonded Vehicle Title.”¹ Resolve the branding with the issuing state first, or Louisiana won’t process the transfer.

Replacing a Lost or Damaged Title

If your title is lost, stolen, or damaged, request a duplicate through the DPSMV 1799. The fee is $68.50.⁴ The form includes a Duplicate Title Affidavit where you indicate whether the original was lost, mutilated, or never received. Sign it in front of a notary with two witnesses. Bring a photo ID and, if the vehicle had a lien that’s since been paid off, a lien release. Mail processing takes a few weeks; applying in person is faster.

Titling an Inherited Vehicle

When a vehicle owner dies, the heir transfers the title through an Affidavit of Heirship filed with the OMV. Submit the affidavit with the DPSMV 1799, the existing title if available, a death certificate, and your identification. If a surviving spouse is already named as a co-owner on the existing title, the process is simpler because ownership partially transfers automatically. Requirements vary based on whether there’s a will, multiple heirs, or a surviving spouse, so contact the OMV directly for the current form.

Removing a Lien After Payoff

Once you pay off a vehicle loan, the lien on your title does not disappear on its own. Either you or the lienholder must present the title to the OMV and request that the lien notation be cancelled. The lienholder endorses the title as satisfied, and the OMV updates the physical title and its records.⁸ If your lender participates in Louisiana’s Electronic Lien and Title system, the release may be processed electronically. Otherwise, coordinate with your lender to get the endorsed title and bring it to the OMV. An unreleased lien can hold up a future sale because the buyer’s title application will show the old lien still active.

1
Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles. Policy 2.00 Basic Requirements for Obtaining a Certificate of Title
2
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. New Title and Registration
3
Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles. Policy 2.03 Completion of Vehicle Application DPSMV 1799
4
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration, Title and Plate Fees
5
Justia Law. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 55 Part III 811
6
Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles. Policy – Delinquent Sales Tax
7
eCFR. Title 49 Part 580 Odometer Disclosure Requirements
8
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 RS 32-708