After you junk a car in Louisiana, tell the Office of Motor Vehicles about the sale within 15 days, and take your regular plate off the car. Take your own things out before pickup, keep a copy of everything you sign, and cancel the insurance once the car is transferred.
Notify OMV within 15 days
R.S. 47:510(B) requires the seller to give OMV written notice of any transfer within 15 days. The notice needs the date of the sale, the names and addresses of both parties, and a description of the vehicle.
OMV has an online tool for this, the Notice of Vehicle Transfer. Have the VIN, the date and the buyer’s name and address in front of you before you start.
Keep your copy of the notice, and write down the date you filed it. OMV’s own FAQ doesn’t say what the notice does for you if the car gets a ticket later, so treat the copy and the date as your record.
What happens to the license plate
Per OMV’s Notice of Vehicle Transfer FAQ, regular automobile plates should be destroyed by the seller after you complete the notice. You can also surrender the plate at a local OMV office.
A few plates follow different rules:
- Truck and trailer plates may stay with the vehicle.
- Special prestige plates may be kept by you.
- There’s no refund for the time left on a plate.
If you’re not sure which kind of plate you have, check the plate itself or call OMV before you remove it.
What to take out of the car before pickup
Do this the day before, not while the driver waits. People forget the small things, and they’re hard to get back.
| Take out | Why |
|---|---|
| License plate | It comes off the car. Destroy it or surrender it, depending on the plate type |
| Registration | You don’t need it in the car anymore. Keep it with your records |
| Insurance card | Same as above, and you’ll want it when you call your insurer |
| Toll tag | The tag can keep charging your account if it stays in the car |
| Garage door remote | Anyone with it could open your garage |
| Personal papers | Glove boxes hold mail, receipts and medical papers |
| Child seat | Take it out and check the expiration date before you reuse it |
Look under the seats, in the trunk and in the door pockets. Phone chargers, sunglasses and spare keys all end up in those spots.
Cancel your insurance after the transfer
Call your insurer once the car has been picked up and the transfer is done. Don’t cancel before, because the car is still yours until it leaves. Ask the insurer what they need from you to close the policy or remove the vehicle.
The title signature and the notary question
You can’t sell a vehicle in Louisiana without handing over a title with a signed endorsement, per R.S. 32:705. The law defines a valid endorsement a few ways. Two of them matter for most people:
- Your signature in front of a notary.
- Your signature in front of two witnesses, with a notarized witness acknowledgment.
There’s an exception. A signature alone is enough when you transfer the vehicle to a dealer licensed by the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission or the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission. That’s in R.S. 32:705(B).
Whether that exception applies depends on the buyer’s license type. Ask the buyer whether a notary is needed for their license type before you sign. Don’t sign the title early. Wait until you know which route applies.
Checklist: before, during and after the sale
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| Before pickup | Take out your things, including registration, insurance card, toll tag, garage remote and child seat |
| Before pickup | Ask the buyer whether a notary is needed |
| At pickup | Sign the title the way the law requires and keep a photo of it |
| At pickup | Take the license plate off the car |
| Within 15 days | File the Notice of Vehicle Transfer with OMV |
| After you file | Keep your copy and write down the date |
| After the transfer | Call your insurer to cancel or update the policy |
| After the transfer | Destroy the regular plate or surrender it at an OMV office |
Call or text us
Cars we buy go to a towing and salvage yard on Paris Road in Chalmette, in business about 38 years. If you’re selling a junk car, call or text us at (504) 708-5950. Tell us the year, make and model, what condition it’s in, whether you have the title, and where the car is. We’ll tell you what we need from you.