Louisiana Title Replacement

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

When a Louisiana vehicle title is lost, stolen, damaged, or never received, the registered owner can apply for a duplicate title through the Louisiana OMV. The duplicate is a full legal replacement — the original is voided in the OMV system the moment the duplicate is issued, so it can't be used by a finder later.

Who can request a duplicate

Only the registered owner shown on the OMV title record can request a duplicate, except in three cases:

A surviving spouse or named heir, with a certified death certificate and proof of relationship.
A lienholder, when the loan is still active and the original title is missing.
A court-appointed guardian or executor, with the supporting court order.

Buyers cannot apply for a duplicate on a recently purchased vehicle if the seller never gave them a properly assigned original. In that situation, the seller has to obtain the duplicate first and then assign it to the buyer.

Documents required

A completed DPSMV1799-A Application for Vehicle Title, with the "duplicate" reason marked.
A notarized affidavit explaining how the original was lost, stolen, damaged, or never received.
The damaged original (if available) — the OMV destroys it on intake.
The lienholder's notarized release if the title was lost while the loan was active and is now paid off.
A copy of your Louisiana driver's license or state ID.
A check or card to cover the $68.50 fee.

Where to apply

You can apply at any Louisiana OMV office or Public Tag Agent. Mail-in applications go to the OMV Title Section in Baton Rouge. The agency does not currently offer online duplicate title applications. Most OMV offices and many PTAs can finish the in-person transaction during the visit and hand back a paper title within 30-45 minutes; mail-in applications take 3-4 weeks.

Fees

$68.50 duplicate title fee — same as a new title.
$8 handling fee.
$3 lien notation fee if the duplicate must include an active lien.

Public Tag Agents charge an additional convenience fee of $5-$15 on top of the state amounts.

Damaged or illegible titles

If your Louisiana title is water-damaged, faded, or torn but the VIN and owner section are still readable, bring the damaged original to the OMV. The agency replaces it as a duplicate at the same $68.50 fee. If the title is so damaged that the VIN, signature lines, or assignment fields are illegible, the OMV may require a VIN inspection from a state trooper post or sheriff's office before issuing the replacement.

Lienholder-held titles

Louisiana issues two title styles when a vehicle has a lien — paper or electronic. Most lenders since 2017 use the Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system, which means the OMV holds the title electronically and no paper title exists during the loan. When the loan is paid off, the lienholder releases the lien electronically and the OMV mails the paper title to the owner. If the paper title gets lost after that, follow the standard duplicate process.

For older paper-title liens, the lienholder physically holds the original. To obtain a duplicate while the loan is active, the lienholder must consent in writing — most lenders are willing to issue a duplicate request to the OMV after a customer's documented loss, often for a small servicing fee.

Vehicles bought from out-of-state without a title

You can't get a Louisiana duplicate for a vehicle that was never titled in Louisiana — the duplicate process applies only to titles originally issued by the Louisiana OMV. For an out-of-state vehicle without a clean title, you'll need to work with the issuing state's DMV to get a duplicate first, then complete the standard Louisiana new-resident registration process. Some out-of-state titles also require a Louisiana bonded title if there are gaps in the chain of ownership.

What to do if your title was stolen

File a police report with the local parish sheriff or city police, then bring a copy to the OMV with the duplicate application. The OMV will flag the original title as stolen in its system, which prevents anyone who finds it from using it for a fraudulent transfer. The fee is the standard $68.50; there's no Louisiana fee waiver for stolen titles. After the duplicate is issued, also pull your driving record to make sure no fraudulent transactions were attempted in your name.