Often, yes. Louisiana law has two no-title routes for a junk car, and a duplicate title is the fallback when neither one fits.
Which route applies depends on how old the car is, whether it still runs, and whether the owner is alive. Here is how each one works.
Route 1: the permit to dismantle for older cars
The Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) may issue a permit to dismantle without the title. The car has to be more than fifteen years old. Its registration also must not have been renewed in Louisiana or any other state for three years straight before the application. That is the rule in R.S. 32:717(B).
Once a permit to dismantle exists, the car’s VIN is no longer valid. The car can’t be titled or registered again in any state, according to OMV Policy 33.00.
You don’t apply for this permit yourself. The buyer or dismantler does, and OMV Policy 33.00 describes the applicant having the vehicle titled in their name. So ask the buyer which route it uses for an older car with no title before you count on this one. If your car is well past fifteen years old and has sat unregistered for years, this route may fit.
Route 2: the auto hulk affidavit
An “auto hulk” is a vehicle that can’t drive itself and can’t carry people or property on a public road. Its main value is parts or scrap metal. The definition is in R.S. 32:702(3).
For an auto hulk, R.S. 32:718 lets you skip the title. You sign and date an affidavit saying you own the car or have the right to sell it. The buyer has to be a secondary metal processor or a licensed automotive dismantler and parts recycler.
OMV’s form for this is DPSMV1801. Under OMV Policy 120.00, the buyer collects:
- the signed affidavit
- a copy of your driver’s license or state ID
- the plate number of the vehicle that delivers the hulk
- a photo of the VIN from the dash
The statute adds your name and address to that list. The buyer keeps these records for two years.
Before the car is dismantled or crushed, the buyer reports the VIN to OMV’s auto hulk database at expresslane.org. If the VIN comes back as stolen, the car can’t be destroyed, and the buyer notifies local law enforcement.
Once the VIN is entered, it can never be titled again.
When a duplicate title is the better move
Sometimes the cleanest answer is to get the title replaced. That makes sense if the car still runs, if it doesn’t clearly meet the hulk definition, or if it’s less than fifteen years old.
The registered owner, the owner’s agent, or a lienholder can apply. You fill out form DPSMV1799 with the duplicate title affidavit. Have it notarized, or sign it in front of an OMV employee or a Public Tag Agency employee. This comes from OMV Policy 15.00.
The cost at OMV is a $68.50 duplicate title fee plus an $8.00 handling fee, so $76.50. The fee schedules are in Policy 69.00 and Policy 91.00.
If a lien shows on the record, bring the paid note or a lien satisfaction. A public tag agent can charge a convenience fee on top of the state fees.
If the owner has passed away
OMV can’t issue a duplicate title in a deceased owner’s name. The exception is a duplicate title affidavit that was completed and notarized before the death (Policy 15.00).
The route here is an Affidavit of Heirship, described in OMV Policy 18.02. It includes:
- form DPSMV1696, notarized, signed by the surviving spouse and all heirs and legatees
- proof of death, either a death certificate or a published obituary
- the will or a notarized summary of its vehicle provisions, if there was a will
- a photo ID copy for each owner
To sell the car, a surviving spouse alone signs a notarized bill of sale. With no surviving spouse, all the heirs sign it. Heirship isn’t available once a court has opened a succession and issued a judgment. In that case the state’s Policy 18.00 applies instead.
Which route fits your situation
| Your situation | Route | What to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Car is over 15 years old and unregistered for 3 years or more | Permit to dismantle, R.S. 32:717(B) | Car’s age and last registration date, VIN, your photo ID |
| Car doesn’t run and is worth mostly parts or scrap | Auto hulk affidavit, R.S. 32:718 | Photo ID, signed DPSMV1801, VIN, the buyer’s delivering plate |
| Car still runs, or is under 15 years old | Duplicate title, $76.50 at OMV | You as registered owner, DPSMV1799, notary or OMV or tag agent employee, lien release if any |
| Owner has died | Affidavit of Heirship | Death certificate or obituary, notarized DPSMV1696, will if any, ID for each heir |
| You have the title in hand | Normal sale | The signed title |
What to do first
Start by pulling the VIN from the dash or the door jamb, and note the last year the car was registered. Those two facts decide most of this. If you aren’t sure the car meets the hulk definition, say so on the call and describe what’s wrong with it.
Call or text us
Call or text us at (504) 708-5950. Tell us the year, make, model, condition, title status, and where the car is sitting. If the title is missing, say why. Lost, never transferred to you, or the owner died are all different answers, and we’ll know which route to look at first.