Classic Car Dealers in Louisiana

In Louisiana the title comes from the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), and the state and parish sales tax is collected there before the title is issued. Two things set the state apart for classic buyers: a 35 year antique plate with a new sales tax exemption, and a civil law warranty against hidden defects that applies to used cars unless it is clearly waived.

Titling the car

Buying from a private seller, the seller signs the title over in front of a notary or two witnesses, and you take the title, a bill of sale showing the real price (unless the price is written on the title assignment), your ID, proof of liability insurance if you want a plate, and application form DPSMV 1799 to an OMV office or a Public Tag Agent. Titling costs $68.50, plus an $8.00 handling fee, a local fee of up to $6.00 and the plate fee. State law says a buyer should apply within five days, and OMV starts charging tax penalties after day 40, so do not wait. A private buyer who can show proof of application is protected from tag citations for 60 days while the title is processed.

A Louisiana dealer has 20 calendar days to apply for the title in your name and give you the papers for a tag. If the title does not arrive, demand it in writing, then file a complaint with the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission. Sales to and from licensed dealers no longer need notarization.

A car from another state needs the out-of-state title, the Out-of-State Declaration on form DPSMV 1799 and payment of Louisiana use tax, with credit for tax paid to the other state only if that state credits Louisiana in return. A title branded as a bonded title is refused. OMV can also ask for a physical VIN inspection by a certified law enforcement officer when one is needed. New residents have 30 days to title and register.

Antique plates and the antique sales tax exemption

• Antique plates are for vehicles 35 years old or older (the age was raised from 25 in July 2025). The owner swears the car has not been materially altered from original factory specifications and will be used mainly for exhibitions, club activities, parades and similar events, or for testing, maintenance and storage. A club membership card can stand in for the affidavit, and OMV wants a color photo. The plate fee is $25 once, plus $8.00 handling and $3.50 on first issue, and the plate is good for the life of the car.
• The plate belongs to the vehicle, not the owner. It cannot be moved to another car, and a new owner pays a $3.00 transfer fee and files the same paperwork. An old Louisiana plate that is at least 35 years old, in good condition and from the car's model year can be approved for use. OMV does not issue those.
• Antique sales tax exemption: since July 1, 2025, a vehicle made at least 35 years ago, valued at $10,000 or more and not used commercially is exempt from state and local sales and use tax. The buyer files Revenue form R-1399 and takes an antique plate in the same transaction, and the plate fee then becomes $1,000 (the transfer fee is also $1,000). OMV's own policy pages say "in excess of $10,000," so a car priced right at $10,000 needs a call to OMV.
• Cars 25 to 34 years old do not qualify for antique plates and register on a regular plate priced at 0.1% of the vehicle value per year, sold in two year blocks with a $20 minimum.
• Street rod plates exist for modified cars made in 1948 or earlier ($25 plus regular registration).

Inspection and emissions

Louisiana vehicles currently need a safety inspection sticker. Cars 25 years or older that carry antique registration and are used mainly for shows, parades and tours are exempt. A 2026 law (HB 1085) ends the safety sticker for personal vehicles and replaces it with a registration sticker with a QR code, effective January 1, 2027 outside the Baton Rouge area, with no citations for a missing sticker from June 30, 2026. Emissions testing applies only in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston and Iberville parishes, and vehicles made before 1980 are exempt.

Sales tax

• The state rate is 5%, with a parish and municipal tax added on top. The rate is based on where the car will be domiciled, not where the seller is, and OMV will not issue the title until the tax is paid. OMV posts a parish tax table.
• Private sales are taxed on the price paid, the same as dealer sales. A trade-in that qualifies is subtracted from the taxable price.
• Tax is due by the 40th day after the sale; after that the penalty is 5% of the tax for each 30 days, up to 25%, plus monthly interest. For a car bought out of state, the Revenue Department counts 30 days from the day it enters Louisiana, so plan on 30.
• If the title shows more than one private transfer, tax and fees are due on each one.

Cars without a title

For an antique, classic or vintage car with no current record of ownership, Louisiana law lets OMV issue a title if you submit a physical inspection by a certified officer showing the car is not stolen, a notarized bill of sale, the sales tax on the purchase price and a statement that you belong to an organized auto club. It is meant only for cars where no owner can be identified. Louisiana law also describes a route for a car 25 years or older that has been abandoned for at least three years: two sworn affidavits and a clear theft check, then a one year wait before title issues. A bill of sale alone does not transfer ownership.

Dealers, private sellers and hidden defects

Selling five or more used vehicles in any twelve months, including online, requires a used dealer license from the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission. Louisiana has no lemon law for used vehicles and no cooling off period, and a sale is binding once signed. Louisiana civil law, though, makes the seller warrant against hidden defects, with rescission or a lower price as the remedy. The warranty does not cover defects you knew about or a careful buyer should have found, and a seller can exclude it only in terms that are clear and unambiguous and brought to your attention. A seller who stated the car had a quality he knew it lacked cannot rely on the waiver. A salvage history must be disclosed in writing, and a buyer who was not told can demand the sale be rescinded. Flood damage must also be disclosed, and a buyer can sue to rescind within a year if it was not. Mileage statements are not required on vehicles more than 10 years old.

Sources: Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (used title and registration, fee schedule, policies 1.00, 2.00, 8.01, 42.00, 42.01, 47.00, 48.00, 55.00, 70.00, 76.00, 112.00), Louisiana Department of Revenue (form R-1399, Revenue Information Bulletin 25-007, motor vehicle sales tax guide), the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission, the Louisiana Revised Statutes (R.S. 32:707, 32:1311, 47:305.21, 47:463.8, HB 520 of 2025, HB 1085 of 2026) and Louisiana Civil Code articles 2520, 2521 and 2548. Rules and fees change; confirm with OMV before you buy.