Louisiana License PlatesLouisiana license plates are aluminum number plates containing a serial serving as unique identification affixed to a vehicle registered in the state. Per Section I-901 of Title 73 of the Louisiana Administrative Code, a vehicle must have a Louisiana license or apportioned plates if the residence, employment, owner, or lessee is in Louisiana. Per Louisiana law, the permanent registration license plate assigned to a trailer, semitrailer, motorcycle, or other motor vehicle must be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Notwithstanding, the permanent license plate assigned to any truck with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 10,000 pounds or to any dump truck may be attached to either the front or rear of the vehicle. Louisiana license plates are issued by the Vehicle Registration Bureau of the Office of Motor Vehicle in the state's Department of Public Safety.
Louisiana's Vehicle Registration Bureau issues:
Louisiana License Plate Design and FormatsLouisiana license plates boast a rich history and distinctive designs that showcase the state's culture and landmarks. The current standard design features the state bird (the Pelican), "Louisiana" screened in a red handwritten font at the center top, and the motto "Sportsman's Paradise" screened in red in the bottom right-hand corner.
Louisiana's motor vehicle license plates typically consist of six characters, including plates for cars, motorcycles, and trailers. Additionally, Louisiana offers specialty license plates supporting various charities and interests, with character limits ranging from two to seven characters.
The standard license plate for cars in Louisiana often features the state name and a distinctive logo, reflecting the state's rich heritage and culture. Each plate must contain at least two letters and four numerals to ensure a unique license plate number for every vehicle. Personalized license plates are popular among drivers, allowing them to customize their plates with any combination of letters and numbers, up to seven characters.
Personalized plates must have at least two letters (A-Z) and may also have numbers. A space, period, or hyphen count has one space. A half space may be included on personalized plates, but it counts as one space. Louisiana OMV does not allow amateur radio call signs, a patented logo, or special symbols such as @, #,%, and & to be included on personalized plates. Ethnic, vulgar, racial, or indecent connotations considered offensive to decency and good taste are also prohibited on personalized plates.
* Source: Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles
Louisiana Vanity License PlateVanity plates are customizable plates that allow individuals to personalize their license plates with a unique combination of letters, numbers, or symbols of their choice, subject to certain regulations and guidelines set by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. To obtain a personalized license plate, initiate an online request using the personalized plate inquiry page of the OMV website. While a request plate may be available on the inquiry portal, the license plate may not be available for purchase until you receive confirmation from the Office of Motor Vehicles. The confirmatory process is to verify that no person has made a similar request prior to the request of your submission; the OMV treats requests on a first-come, first-serve basis.
After receiving a request for an application for a personalized license plate, the plate will be held for 2 weeks to receive the paperwork. A personalized license plate costs $25 per year in addition to the standard registration fee. An $8 handling fee and a $3.50 administrative fee will also be charged. Checks and money orders are the accepted forms of payment.
It may take up to 12 weeks for the personalized plate to arrive. If your vehicle has a regular license plate, your personalized plate will be mailed directly to you. If you have a special plate, it must be turned in, and the new personalized plate must be picked up. If you have not received your plate in the 12 weeks, contact the OMV at (225) 925-6371.
Most Popular Louisiana Special Plate NumbersPopular Louisiana Special Plate categories include:
Louisiana License Plate LookupA Louisiana license plate lookup is a search performed by providing a Louisiana number plate to query a database in order to obtain information about the vehicle affixed with the license plate. License plate lookups can assist law enforcement agencies, private investigators, and individuals in conducting investigations or gathering evidence related to criminal activities, traffic violations, or legal disputes.
In compliance with federal law, Louisiana law makes sensitive personal information inaccessible in license plate lookups. Some of the information that can be obtained from a license plate lookup are:
To conduct a Louisiana license plate look, visit the address of the Office of Motor Vehicles at:
7701 Independence BoulevardAlternatively, you may use RecordsFinder to perform an online license plate lookup. RecordsFinder allows users to find information about a vehicle by providing a vehicle's license plate number.
A reverse license plate search involves taking the license plate number of a vehicle and then querying a vehicle records database to retrieve information about the vehicle. It is a way to look up relevant data associated with a specific license plate. You can perform a reverse license plate number search with RecordsFinder by providing the license plate number of a vehicle.
What Do I Need to Get a License Plate in Louisiana?You will be issued a Louisiana license plant after completing the title and registration of your vehicle. To tile a new vehicle, the following items must be mailed or delivered to the Office of Motor Vehicle Headquarters, processed in any OMV Office, or at a Public Tag Agent location:
To title a used vehicle, the following documents are required:
To obtain a mobility-impaired license plate, submit the following to the OMV:
To ensure you get your desired Louisiana specialty license plates, you must first verify that your preferred choice is available. Visit the specialty plates viewer page of the Louisiana OMV website to view available options and submit an online request.
Before requesting a specialty license plate, it is recommended that you review the following information:
Fees vary for specialty plates. You may contact the Specialized Vehicle Unit of the OMV at (225) 925-6278 or (225) 925-6146 for fees or other inquiries on specialty plates.
Differences Between a Passenger License Plate and a Commercial License Plate in LouisianaThe Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in 1975 as to the type of license plate required for private passenger vehicles used commercially, as opposed to the license plate type required on private passenger vehicles operated for private use only. The court ruled that a vehicle used for commercial purposes must carry a commercial license plate. Per the OMV Policy on commercial license plates, commercial use means every use of a vehicle on the highway except its private use unrelated to any business function or its use as a common carrier or a contract or charter carrier.
The following are key differences between passenger and commercial license plates in Louisiana:
| Features | Passenger License Plate | Commercial License Plate |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Use | Personal and non-commercial purposes | Any use of a vehicle on Louisiana highway except its private use unrelated to any business function or its use as a common carrier or a contract/charter carrier |
| Price & Validity | The license plate fee is based on the selling price of the vehicle (SPOV) and is renewable every 2 years | The license plate fee is $10.00 and is renewed annually on a staggered basis |
| Requirements for obtaining |
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How to Renew License Plate in LouisianaTo renew your license plate in Louisiana, you only need to renew your vehicle registration. For convenience, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles allows vehicle registrations to be renewed online. Renewals may be done using the Renewal Identification Number available on your Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice sent by the OMV via email or on the current vehicle registration certificate.
Besides a renewal notice or current vehicle registration, you also need a valid credit card, such as VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. If you cannot find a renewal ID number on your Renewal Notice, you are ineligible to renew online because the OMV needs additional information. If that is the case, it is recommended that you contact the OMV at (225) 925-6146 for assistance.
How to Transfer a License Plate in LouisianaYou cannot transfer your registration plate from one vehicle to another in Louisiana. However, you may be able to transfer personalized prestige license plates between vehicle owners if a close family relationship (grandparent, parent, or child) exists between owners. Personalized prestige plates (for antique motor vehicles) may be issued to automobiles, private trucks up to 16,000 pounds, vans, and motor homes. Louisiana also allows for the transfer of antique license plates.
All applications for the transfer of an antique license plate must be accompanied by:
Any application for the transfer of a personalized prestige antique license plate must be accompanied by:
Louisiana License Plate Lookup Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)It is unlikely that you will be able to find the owner of a license plate in Louisiana, except in limited circumstances. The federal Driver Privacy Protection Act restricts access to personal information contained in state motor vehicle records. Under the DPPA, personal information obtained from motor vehicle records, including the owner's name and address, is typically considered confidential and may not be disclosed without the individual's consent or a permissible purpose as outlined in the law.
In addition to the DPPA, Louisiana state law prohibits unauthorized access to sensitive information obtained from motor vehicle records. Specifically, Section III-367 of Title 55 of the Louisiana Administrative Code establishes restrictions on the disclosure of personal information from motor vehicle records. It imposes penalties for unauthorized access or dissemination of such information.
As a result, accessing the owner's information associated with a license plate in Louisiana without a permissible purpose, such as law enforcement investigations or official government functions, is illegal under federal and state laws. Individuals seeking such information must have a legitimate reason and comply with the applicable legal requirements outlined in the DPPA and state statutes.
However, with RecordsFinder, you can access non-personal information on the 269 million registered vehicles in the United States. RecordsFinder is an online service that allows users to obtain non-sensitive information associated with a license plate by providing the vehicle's license plate number or identification number.
You can get a replacement license plate if you have lost your current license plate. To do so, you may submit a request online, by mail, or in person at your local Motor Vehicle office. The following will be required at the OMV if your request will be made in person or by mail:
If you are submitting a request online, the following will be required:
When a police officer performs a license plate check, they receive comprehensive information regarding a vehicle. This process involves running your license plate number against official databases, enabling them to access vital details about the vehicle's registration and ownership.
Furthermore, officers have access to criminal databases, enabling them to ascertain whether the vehicle has been reported stolen or if its owner has a criminal background. They can also determine if the driver has any outstanding warrants or if the vehicle has been linked to recent criminal activities.
While running license plates is a valuable tool in law enforcement, it has inherent limitations. Police officers cannot access private information, such as personal or financial data, through license plate scanning. The regulation governs the use of license plate scanning technology to prevent an unwarranted invasion of individuals' privacy unless there exists reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.
You can search license plates for free using Recordsfinder. Looking up vehicle records via license plate lookups can be useful when buying a used vehicle in Louisiana. With many vehicles being sold with cloned VINs in the United States, a free license plate search can protect you from fraudulent sellers.
In order to use RecordsFinder to perform a free license plate search, input the vehicle's plate number in the search box provided on the website, select "Louisiana", and click the "Search Now" button. Results from the search will reveal information such as the vehicle's:
In accordance with Section I-1105 of Title 73 of the Louisiana Administrative Code, if a vehicle domiciled in Louisiana is operating with an expired license plate, the penalty is 25% of the annual cost of the proper license. Also, the driver will be required to purchase a proper Louisiana license from the Vehicle Registration Bureau of the Office of Motor Vehicles of the Department of Public Safety.
When selling a vehicle in Louisiana, you must remove the license plate before handing the vehicle over to the buyer. After completing the sale, you may cancel your license plate on the OMV website, through the mail, or physically at an OMV location. Upon canceling the plate, you may physically destroy it or return it to your local OMV office.
No. The Office of Motor Vehicles requires that you cancel your license plate if moving out of the state. You can cancel your license plate online, by mail, or physically at an OMV office location. After canceling your license plate, you may destroy it or surrender it at the OMV office.
Standard Louisiana license plates have dimensions of 30cm x 15cm (12" x 6").
A temporary vehicle registration or T-marker may be issued by a licensed dealer of automobiles, boat trailers, camper trailers, trucks, motorcycles, other motor-driven cycles, or motorized campers. Per OMV policy, T-markers are valid for no more than 60 days from the date of issuance.
To renew your license plate in Louisiana, simply renew your vehicle registration. In order to renew your vehicle registration:
If your license plate is stolen, the OMV recommends you report the incident to your local law enforcement office. Afterward, you may request a replacement online or in person at the OMV office in your area. To submit a request online, you must have the following ready: