To get a replacement car title in Louisiana, submit a completed Vehicle Application (form DPSMV 1799) to the Office of Motor Vehicles with a notarized Affidavit of Non-Possession and $76.50 in fees. You can file in person at any OMV branch or by mail, and the replacement is sent to the address on file.
What You Need to Apply
Your application has to list your full legal name exactly as it appears on your Louisiana driver’s license or state ID, along with your license number.1Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 RS 32-707 – Application for Certificates of Title You also need the vehicle’s VIN, make, model, year, and current license plate number. Your most recent registration certificate has most of this already.
The form is the Vehicle Application, DPSMV 1799, available at any OMV branch or on the Express Lane website.2Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. New Title and Registration It contains an Affidavit of Non-Possession in which you swear you no longer have the original title. That section must be notarized before you file, so plan a stop at a notary unless the OMV office you visit has one on site.
If a lien on the vehicle has been paid off but the title still shows the lienholder, bring a notarized lien release. Without it, the OMV cannot issue a clean title in your name alone.
What It Costs
The duplicate title fee is $68.50, plus an $8.00 handling fee, for a total of $76.50.3Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration, Title and Plate Fees At an OMV branch, you can pay by cash, credit card, debit card, money order, or personal check. By mail, send a check or money order payable to the Office of Motor Vehicles. Third-party title services charge an added service fee of up to $18 on top of the state charges.
How to Apply
In Person
Bring your completed and notarized DPSMV 1799, a valid driver’s license or state ID, and your payment to any Louisiana OMV branch. Checking wait times or scheduling through Express Lane before you go can save time. The replacement title is mailed to the address on file; you won’t walk out with it.
By Mail
Mail the notarized application, payment, and any supporting documents to:
Office of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 64886
Baton Rouge, LA 70896
Use certified mail so you have delivery confirmation. If a single required document or signature is missing, the whole package comes back and you start the mailing over.
How Long It Takes
Processing estimates from third-party title services and OMV-adjacent offices run about 5 to 10 business days, depending on OMV workload, and the title arrives by mail either way. Mail-in applications take longer because of transit time in both directions. An expedited option exists for an additional fee, but the OMV doesn’t publish a guaranteed turnaround or a set expedite fee, so ask at the counter or call ahead if speed matters.
If There’s Still a Lien on the Vehicle
When a loan is still outstanding, the lienholder controls the title. Louisiana OMV policy requires the lienholder to complete and notarize the Affidavit of Non-Possession when a lien is still recorded against the vehicle, and the duplicate title is mailed directly to the lienholder rather than to you.4Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Office of Motor Vehicles Duplicate Title Policy The lienholder can even request the duplicate without your signature, as long as the lien stays on the new title. Call your loan servicer first; most handle these requests regularly and will either file the application themselves or tell you what they need from you.
If the Titled Owner Has Died
Louisiana has a statutory procedure that lets surviving spouses, heirs, and legatees obtain a new title in many cases without a full court succession.5Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 RS 32-707.1 – Deceased Persons Titles to Vehicles You’ll need proof of death, which can be a death certificate or other proof acceptable to the OMV such as a published obituary.6Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Policy 18.02 Affidavit of Heirship You’ll also need either a copy of the will or a notarized statement summarizing how the will disposes of vehicles.
Every person with an ownership interest in the vehicle must sign a notarized Affidavit of Heirship (DPSMV 1696), declaring their relationship to the deceased and transferring their interest to the applicant.6Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Policy 18.02 Affidavit of Heirship Include the existing title and registration if you have them; if not, say so in the affidavit.
One limit: the Affidavit of Heirship procedure cannot be used when a formal court succession has already been opened and a judgment rendered. In that situation, the court’s succession documents govern who gets the vehicle, and those are what you bring to the OMV.
If Your Title Was Stolen
A stolen title creates a risk that someone could try to fraudulently transfer your vehicle, so act quickly. File a police report first. The OMV doesn’t always require one, but it creates an official record of the theft that protects you if someone later tries to sell or re-title your car using the stolen document. Bring a copy of the police report with your duplicate title application.
The application itself is the same as for any other lost title: complete DPSMV 1799 with the notarized affidavit, pay the $76.50 fee, and submit in person or by mail.3Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration, Title and Plate Fees If you’re worried about continuing fraud risk, contact the OMV directly to flag your vehicle record.