A Louisiana salvage title is a legal proof of ownership that motorists need to obtain when they own a salvage motor vehicle. The Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety (LA DPS) issues car salvage title certificates to individuals who have a salvage vehicle that satisfies the applicable requirements. However, prior to beginning the application procedure, vehicle owners may be also required to satisfy certain eligibility criteria.

Salvage title cars are motor vehicles that have been damaged under various circumstances. Therefore, the requirements and mandatory documentation may vary based on the driver’s specific situation. Furthermore, motorists may be also required to have their salvage vehicle inspected as one step of the application procedure. To discover more details about the procedure of applying for a DMV salvage title in Louisiana, continue reading the sections below.

What is a Louisiana salvage title?

A salvage title in Louisiana is a legal ownership document issued for vehicles that have been declared as salvage or total loss. The salvage certificate is used to prove the declaration in an insurance settlement that a certain motor vehicle is deemed as a total loss. A motor vehicle is a total loss when it has damages that cost 75 percent or more of the retail value of the automobile, determined by the most current National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Handbook.

Louisiana Salvage Title Eligibility Requirements

Vehicle owners may apply for a Louisiana DMV salvage title by performing the mandatory procedure and by satisfying certain eligibility criteria beforehand. A salvage certificate may be issued in the name of an auto insurance company, its authorized agent or the vehicle owner. Each of these applicants is eligible to sell, rebuild, restore or dismantle the salvage vehicle. To be eligible to obtain such a title for a motor vehicle that has been declared as a total loss, the insurance company, agent or the vehicle owner must begin the application procedure within 30 days of the settlement of the property damage claim.

How to Get a Salvage Title in Louisiana

The Louisiana salvage title application procedure requires vehicle owners to complete several steps and to satisfy certain requirements. Moreover, motorists may need to prepare a list of documents needed for performing the procedure. Therefore, in order to obtain a salvage certificate, applicants need to do the following:

• Complete a vehicle application (form DPSMV 1799).
• Prepare a properly assigned title or manufacturer’s statement of origin (MSO).
• Submit a copy of proof of loss from the insurance company, indicating the date of loss.
• Provide a UCC-1 security agreement to record lien, if needed.
• Submit a notarized authorization from the insurance company.
• Submit a completed Application for a Salvage-Reconstructed Motor Vehicle.

When completing an Application for a Salvage-Reconstructed Motor Vehicle, vehicle owners will have to fill out only the sections about the owner information, the vehicle information and the section for disclosure of salvage/reconstructed/water damaged/hail-damaged.

The application procedure for a DMV salvage title in Louisiana may be submitted to the LA OMV with other documents if the insurance company or agent cannot obtain the title certificate from the owner or lienholder within 30 days from the settlement. In such a situation, motorists will have to submit the following documents:

• Completed vehicle application (form DPSMV 1799)
• Notarized affidavit, showing that the insurance company has made two written attempts to get the title from the owner or lien holder
• Copy of the notices sent to the lien holder
• Federal Odometer statement, if needed
• Copy of the proof of loss from the insurance company
• Lien release, if needed
• Payment for the applicable fees

Note: Motorists who are transferring the ownership of salvage title cars are required to write a disclosure for the transfer of that title to the person who receives the ownership. Failing to do so may result in entitling the vehicle recipient to demand rescission of the sale and to be able to recover the price and other fees and taxes paid in connection with the transaction.

Salvage Car Inspections in Louisiana

Vehicle owners may often wonder when to perform a salvage vehicle inspection in Louisiana and whether the LA OMV requires their vehicles to undergo that inspection. In LA, salvage title cars are not required to pass an inspection. However, after a salvage vehicle has been restored or rebuilt, motorists who want to re-title the motor vehicle will have to submit an Affidavit of Physical Inspection.

The physical inspection is conducted by a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) law enforcement officer, who is certified to inspect motor vehicles by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police. The Louisiana car salvage vehicles that are presented for inspection may also undergo an inspection of the vehicle’s repaired or replaced major component parts.

Louisiana Salvage Title Fees

The ultimate step of the Louisiana salvage title application process requires vehicle owners to submit payment for the applicable fees. Motorists have to pay the mandatory salvage title value, along with a local service fee, which may vary based on the county where owners apply for a title certificate for their salvage vehicles. For more detailed information about the applicable fees, motorists need to contact the LA OMV and find out the exact cost, according to their specific situation.

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