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Bill of sale · Louisiana

Louisiana Bill of Sale

Louisiana is the state where the notary still runs the show: private sales need a notarized bill of sale (or a notarized title assignment carrying the price), gifts travel by Act of Donation, and Public Tag Agents handle the counter work. Here's the whole picture.

The Louisiana answer

Notarized — with one 2023 exception.

The rule is simple to state and easy to plan around: a private party-to-party sale needs a notarized bill of sale showing the actual price — or the price written into the notarized title assignment, which makes the separate document unnecessary. The 2023 reform that dropped notarization applies only when a licensed Louisiana dealer is on one side of the deal. Two individuals in a driveway still see the notary.
Official state form
OMV Bill of Sale of a Movable
Verified copy of the Louisiana OMV form — note the civil-law title: a vehicle is a “movable.” Sign it before the notary, not before.
Download
Where the counter is

OMV offices, Public Tag Agents, and the 40-day clock.

Louisiana lets you finish the transfer at a state OMV office or at a privatized Public Tag Agent — storefront offices that process titles for a convenience fee, often with shorter lines and notaries on hand. Wherever you go, the buyer’s clock is 40 days from the sale; after that the tax penalty accrues at 5% per month up to 25%, plus interest. ExpressLane, the online system, handles renewals but not a first-time private-sale transfer, so this one is an in-person errand.

Not legal advice. Verified against Louisiana OMV sources in July 2026 — official links in our 50-state requirements table. Our photo builder works here too — just leave the signing for the notary’s desk.
Bayou questions

Louisiana specifics, answered.

Does Louisiana really require a notarized bill of sale?

For private party-to-party sales, yes — Louisiana requires a notarized bill of sale stating the actual price, unless the selling price is written into the notarized title assignment itself (then the separate bill of sale is waived). Since January 1, 2023, sales to or from a licensed Louisiana dealer no longer need notarized documents — but that exception doesn't cover two private individuals.

Is there any way around a notary appointment?

One, in lien situations: an authorized agent of a federally insured financial institution may witness the title assignment in lieu of a notary under specific conditions. Otherwise plan the notary into the sale — Louisiana notaries are plentiful (it's a notarial state by tradition), and Public Tag Agent offices can often handle it alongside the transfer itself.

What's an Act of Donation?

Louisiana's civil-law instrument for giving a vehicle away. Where other states write '$0' or 'gift' on a bill of sale, Louisiana transfers donated vehicles by a notarized Act of Donation — a distinct document reflecting the state's Napoleonic-code heritage. Family gifts go this route, not through a bill of sale.

What are the deadlines and costs?

The buyer files the vehicle application and pays within 40 days of the sale; running late costs 5% of the tax per month up to 25%, plus interest. Title fee is $68.50 plus an $8 handling fee, and the state sales tax is 5% (as of January 1, 2025) plus parish rates — assessed on the price after any trade-in.