The short answer
| Item | Louisiana answer |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $68.50, plus an $8 handling fee. |
| Deadline | Pay the tax by the 40th day after the sale. The law also says to apply for the title within 5 days. |
| Late cost | 5% of the tax for each 30 days late, up to 25%, plus interest. No flat late-title fee. |
| Tax | 5% state plus your parish and city rate, which varies. |
| Plates | 0.1% of the car's value a year, sold for 2 years. Plates stay with the owner. |
How much is tax, title and license in Louisiana?
The title is the document that proves who owns the car. The license is the plate. In Louisiana you pay all three together at the OMV (Office of Motor Vehicles) or a public tag agent:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title | $68.50 |
| Handling fee, on every title transaction | $8 |
| License plate (2 years) | 0.1% of the car's value a year; at least $20 |
| Local fee, in some places | Up to $6 |
| Lien (the lender's claim on the car until the loan is paid) | $15 with a UCC-1 form, $10 with another security agreement |
| Duplicate title | $68.50, plus the $8 handling fee |
| Certified copy of a title | $15 |
| Moving your plate to another car | $3 |
A title correction caused by an OMV error is free.
Worked example: $30,000 car from a dealer, Orleans Parish (5% local tax)
- State tax: 5% of $30,000 = $1,500.00
- Local tax (Orleans Parish, 5%): $1,500.00
- Title: $68.50
- Handling fee: $8.00
- License plate (2 years): $30 a year × 2 = $60.00
Total: $3,136.50.
The Louisiana calculator below starts from the same $3,136.50. Where the local fee of up to $6 applies, the same purchase is $3,142.50.
Orleans Parish is the example, not a promise. The local tax part changes with your parish and city, and it can move the total by hundreds of dollars.
Louisiana sales tax on a car
- State rate: 5%, since January 1, 2025. Some websites, and one older state publication, still show 4.45%. That was the rate before 2025.
- Local rate: your parish and city add their own tax, based on where the car is domiciled (where it's kept). Rates vary widely, so there is no single Louisiana total rate. Look up yours in the official Parish & Municipality Tax Table, or pick your area in our calculator.
- What it's charged on: the price minus your trade-in and any manufacturer rebate. The dealer's invoice must show the trade-in.
- The plate fee is different: it's figured on the full selling price, not the price after the trade-in.
- Private sales pay the same tax, at the OMV when you title.
- Even trades: two people who swap cars of equal value owe no tax. If one car is worth more, the person trading up pays tax on the difference.
How many days do you have to transfer a title in Louisiana?
Louisiana has two clocks. Keep them apart:
- 5 days (the title law): the law says to apply for the new title within 5 days of getting the car or its title.
- 40 days (the money deadline): the tax must be paid by the 40th day after the sale. This is the deadline that carries a penalty, so it's the one to plan around.
What does it cost to be late?
There is no flat late-title fee. The cost is on the tax:
- Penalty: 5% of the tax for each 30 days (or part of 30 days) late, up to 25% of the tax.
- Interest: 1.25% a month on the state tax and 1% a month on the local tax, for sales from 2023 on.
On the Orleans example, $3,000 of tax, each 30 days late adds $150 in penalty, up to $750, plus interest.
Family sales and the Act of Donation
- No family-sale break. A sale to a relative is taxed like any other sale.
- The tax-free route is a donation. A notarized Act of Donation (Form DPSMV 1699), signed before a notary and two witnesses, with no money exchanged, pays no sales or use tax. This works for anyone, related or not.
- Taking over the loan: if you take over the giver's car loan, the loan balance may count as a price and be taxed. Official sources don't spell out how this works with a donation, so check with the OMV first.
- Fees still apply: title, handling and plate fees are due on a donation. Only the tax is $0.
- Inheritance: transfers through a succession or affidavit of heirship aren't taxed.
Plates
The plate fee is 0.1% of the car's value a year, with a $10,000 minimum value. Plates are sold for 2 years, so the lowest price is $20. On a $30,000 car it's $60.
Plates stay with the owner. The seller removes the plate. You get your own. Moving your plate to your next car costs $3. (This is for passenger cars; truck and trailer plates can work differently.)
Electric and hybrid cars
Louisiana charges a yearly road usage fee: $110 for an electric car and $60 for a hybrid, prorated by month. From 2026 the OMV collects it. It's billed separately, so it isn't part of the tax, title and license total.
New residents
- Deadline: register within 30 days of becoming a resident. The law counts that from the day you get a Louisiana driver's license. A safety inspection is due in the same 30 days.
- Use tax cap: for a car you used personally, registered in your name in another state and register here within 90 days of bringing it in, state and local use tax together can't be more than $90.
What documents do you need?
- The Vehicle Application (Form DPSMV 1799).
- The current title, signed over to you before a notary, with any lien released.
- A notarized bill of sale stating the price, unless the price is on the title assignment.
- An odometer statement, if the title doesn't have one.
- A UCC-1 form or security agreement if the car is financed.
- For a plate: a photo ID for each owner and proof of liability insurance.
What this guide doesn't cover
Public tag agent fees (no official cap found), which places charge the $6 local fee, inspection fees, trucks, trailers and motorcycles.
Frequently asked questions
How much is tax, title and license in Louisiana?
The title is $68.50 plus an $8 handling fee. Tax is 5% state plus your parish rate. The plate is 0.1% of the value a year, for 2 years. A $30,000 dealer car in Orleans Parish comes to $3,136.50.
How much is tax, title and license on a $30,000 car in Louisiana?
In Orleans Parish (5% local tax): $3,000 tax, $68.50 title, $8 handling and $60 for a two-year plate, so $3,136.50. Up to $6 more where the local fee applies. Other parishes have different local rates.
What is the sales tax on a car in Louisiana?
5% state since January 1, 2025, plus the parish and city tax where the car is kept. It's charged on the price minus your trade-in and rebates.
How long do I have to pay tax and title a car in Louisiana?
The tax is due by the 40th day after the sale. After that a penalty of 5% of the tax per 30 days, up to 25%, plus interest applies. The title law also says to apply within 5 days.
Do I pay tax on a car from a family member in Louisiana?
Yes, if you pay for it. Louisiana has no family-sale break. A notarized Act of Donation with no money exchanged pays no tax, for anyone.
See title transfer fees for all 50 states
Calculate your Louisiana fees
Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.
- License plate (2 yrs)$30 a year (0.1% of value, $10 minimum)Louisiana R.S. 47:463 · checked Oct 16, 2026$60.00
- Title feeLouisiana OMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$68.50
- Handling feeLouisiana R.S. 32:412.1 · checked Oct 16, 2026$8.00
- Local feeUp to $6 where it appliesLouisiana OMV · checked Oct 16, 2026not available
- State sales tax5% of priceLouisiana Department of Revenue · checked Oct 16, 2026$1,500.00
- Local sales tax5% (Orleans Parish)Louisiana OMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$1,500.00
Total excludes items marked "not available".
What you'll pay later
Renewal at today's rates: $60.00 for 2 years
5-year total: not shown, because it is a 2-year registration.
Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the Louisiana car registration fee calculator page.
- Louisiana Department of Revenue – Form R-1386 instructions (5/25): state sales tax on vehicles 5% from January 1, 2025
- Louisiana OMV – Vehicle Registration, Title & Plate Fees ($68.50 title, $8 handling, lien fees, $3 plate transfer, plate fee 0.1% of value a year)
- Louisiana OMV – New Title & Registration, and Used Title & Registration (documents, local fee up to $6, tax by domicile, trade-ins) (cited by name, not linked)
- Louisiana OMV Policy 55.00 – Penalty and Interest (40th day, 5% per 30 days up to 25%, interest) (cited by name, not linked)
- Louisiana OMV Policy 52.00 – Act of Donation / Manual Gift (rev. 10/19/2026) (cited by name, not linked)
- Louisiana OMV Policy 53.00 – Even Trade (cited by name, not linked)
- Louisiana OMV Policy 69.00 – Fees (duplicate title, certified copy) (cited by name, not linked)
- Louisiana Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (R-20164) and Revenue Ruling 06-002 (cited by name, not linked)
- Louisiana Department of Revenue – Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Road Usage Fee (cited by name, not linked)
- DPS – Parish & Municipality Tax Table (cited by name, not linked)
- La. R.S. 32:707 (5-day title application), 32:412.1 ($8 handling), 32:728 (title fees), 47:302(D)(1) (new-resident use tax cap) and 47:513.2 (new residents) (cited by name, not linked)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
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