Louisiana Vehicle Bill of Sale Laws — 2026 Legal Requirements

Louisiana bill of sale: what state law requires

Louisiana treats a private vehicle bill of sale as legally binding once both parties sign. The document serves three functions under state law: it transfers ownership, establishes the agreed price for sales tax purposes, and creates evidence that the seller is no longer responsible for the vehicle after the sale date. Louisiana does not publish a mandatory official form, but the bill of sale must contain specific required fields to be accepted by the Louisiana DMV.

Required disclosures and fields

Every bill of sale used for a Louisiana private vehicle transfer must include the buyer's and seller's full legal names, addresses, and signatures, the vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make, and model, the odometer reading at the time of sale, the agreed sale price (or notation of gift if no money changed hands), and the date of the transaction. Louisiana accepts a typed or handwritten document so long as all required fields are present and legible.

• Notarized act of sale required for vehicle transfers
• Buyer must obtain title within 40 days
• Parish taxes vary significantly and apply on top of state tax

Notarization rules in Louisiana

Louisiana requires the bill of sale itself to be notarized. Louisiana is unique: a bill of sale for a motor vehicle must be signed before a notary public and two witnesses to be legally valid. This is required under Louisiana Civil Code art. 1833. A notary stamp adds an additional layer of fraud protection by verifying that the named parties actually signed the document.

Title transfer deadlines

Under Louisiana law, the buyer must complete the title transfer at the Louisiana DMV within 40 days of the sale date. Missing this deadline results in late title fees, which compound over time. The deadline begins on the sale date documented in the bill of sale, which is one of the reasons the document is required. The state title fee is $68.5. Current procedures are published at the Louisiana DMV.

Odometer disclosure under federal and Louisiana law

Federal law under 49 CFR Part 580 (the Truth in Mileage Act) requires the seller to certify the odometer reading in writing at the time of sale for any vehicle under 10 model years old and under 16,000 pounds GVWR. In Louisiana this disclosure is typically made directly on the title in the designated odometer field; if the title lacks the field, the bill of sale must serve as the disclosure document. Falsifying an odometer disclosure is a federal crime under 49 U.S.C. § 32709 with civil penalties of up to three times actual damages or $10,000 per violation, plus state-level consumer-protection penalties.

Sales tax obligations

Louisiana applies the following sales tax to private vehicle sales: 4.45% state sales tax plus parish taxes (total can exceed 10%). The seller is not responsible for collecting or remitting sales tax in a private-party sale — that is the buyer's obligation at the DMV. However, the bill of sale must accurately state the sale price; the DMV uses this figure (or the state's published fair-market value, whichever is higher) to compute the tax.

Penalties for non-compliance

Failing to comply with Louisiana bill of sale and title transfer law exposes both parties to risk. Sellers who do not file a release of liability remain legally responsible for the vehicle after sale and can be held accountable for the buyer's parking tickets, toll violations, and even accidents. Buyers who do not transfer the title within the statutory deadline incur late fees and, in some cases, criminal penalties for unregistered vehicle operation. Both parties are also at risk if the bill of sale contains an inaccurate sale price intended to reduce sales tax — this constitutes tax fraud under Louisiana and federal law.

Buyer and seller rights

Under Louisiana law, both buyer and seller have specific rights that the bill of sale documents. The seller has the right to be released from liability once the title is transferred — the bill of sale, along with the release of liability filing, is the seller's primary evidence of transfer. The buyer has the right to a clean title and an accurate odometer reading; if either is misrepresented, the buyer may pursue civil action under Louisiana consumer-protection statutes and federal Truth in Mileage Act provisions. Both parties have the right to retain signed copies of the bill of sale for their records.

How to use a Louisiana bill of sale correctly

1. Use a bill of sale template that includes all Louisiana-required fields, or generate one with BillOfSaleNow's Louisiana-specific generator.
2. Both buyer and seller complete the form together at the time of sale.
3. Sign in the presence of a notary public as required by Louisiana law.
4. Each party retains a signed copy.
5. The seller files a release of liability with the Louisiana DMV (typically online or by mail).
6. The buyer takes the signed title, bill of sale, and odometer disclosure to the Louisiana DMV to complete the title transfer within 40 days.
7. Out-of-state vehicles require a VIN inspection. LA requires a VIN inspection at the Office of Motor Vehicles before titling out-of-state vehicles.