In Louisiana, when you sell or buy a vehicle, you will need to have a bill of sale for Louisiana. It acts as a receipt and a legal document that shows the transfer of ownership. It is also needed when the buyer registers and titles the vehicle in their name. It also gives legal proof should there be any discrepancies pertaining to the vehicle.
EXAMPLE
If the previous owner got a ticket before selling the vehicle to the buyer, the buyer can use this bill of sale as proof that they did not own the vehicle at that time.
When transferring ownership of a vehicle, you will also need to provide an Odometer Disclosure Statement to verify the correct mileage on the vehicle. This is done to avoid odometer tampering. Both the seller and the buyer must sign the bill of sale before a registered notary is public.
If you are registering a vehicle on behalf of the owner, you will need to complete a Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney form.
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Details that Need to be on a Bill of Sale for Louisiana
You can either download this bill of sale on the Office of Motor Vehicles’ website or create your own.
When creating your own bill of sale, you need to include the following:
- Full legal names of both the seller and the buyer
- The parish or county where the sale took place
- The date of the sale
- The price that the vehicle was sold for
- Details about the vehicle: make, model, year, color, and VIN
- Contact details for both the seller and the buyer
- Signatures of both the seller and the buyer. This must be witnessed by a registered notary.
Registering a Vehicle in Louisiana
In Louisiana, you have 40 days from the date of purchase to register the vehicle in your name. You are not permitted to drive the vehicle on public roads until it has been registered. If you are transferring a vehicle from out of state to Louisiana, you have 30 days from your date of residency to register the vehicle.
Where to register a vehicle in Louisiana?
If you are registering the vehicle for the first time, you can either mail your documents to the Louisiana OMV or visit a local Office of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle registration must be renewed every 2 years. You can renew your vehicle’s registration via the Office of Motor Vehicles online portal.
To mail in payments and documents, you must submit payments in the form of a:
- Money Order
- Cashiers Check
- Electronic Funds Transfer
- Business or personal check (be sure to print your phone number, address, and driver’s license number on the check)
Payments and documentation must be mailed to the OMV Headquarters:
Office of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 64886
Baton Rouge, LA 70896
The OMV’s physical mailing address is:
Office of Motor Vehicles
7979 Independence Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
If you are dropping off your documentation and payment, you can make your payments using a credit or debit card, in cash, through an electronic funds transfer, E-check, or money order. For credit and debit card payments, you will be charged a transaction fee of $1.25 plus 1%. E-check payments are charged a fee of $1.00.
Required Documents
- A Luoisianan Bill of Sale
- A current and valid Louisiana Driver’s License
- A completed Odometer Disclosure Statement
- The original Certification of Title
- A completed Vehicle Application (Form DPSMV 1799). This can also be used if you have lost the original Certification of Title
- A completed Notice of Vehicle Transfer (Form DPSMV 1697)
- A Certificate of Inspection from an accredited station
- Funds to cover the appropriate Registration Fees
- Proof of Insurance with a recognized Louisiana insurance provider. The policy must cover:
- $15,000 to cover bodily injury (per individual)
- $30,000 to cover bodily injury (per accident)
- $25,000 to cover any property damage
- Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney, if you are registering or titling the vehicle on behalf of the owner.
If the vehicle that you are registering is/was financed, you will need to have one of the following:
- Uniform Commercial Code-1 Financing Statement (UCC-1)
- A Security Agreement
- Chattel Mortgage
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