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Louisiana Vehicle Bill of Sale

Quick answer: Louisiana generally requires the vehicle sale document to be notarized, and federal law requires an odometer disclosure at transfer for most vehicles under 20 model years old (49 CFR Part 580). Details and steps below.

A vehicle bill of sale records the seller, the buyer, the VIN, the price, and the odometer reading of a private car sale in Louisiana. Louisiana generally requires the vehicle sale document to be notarized, so plan the signing accordingly (details below).

Fill in the parties, the vehicle, and the terms, and download a printable Louisiana vehicle bill of sale in Word and PDF. It documents your sale; it does not replace the title transfer paperwork Louisiana requires.

Create your Louisiana vehicle bill of saleRead the full Vehicle Bill of Sale guide

Louisiana bill of sale requirements

Louisiana vehicle bill of sale requirements at a glance
NotarizationYes, required
Official state formNo specific state form verified: check the Louisiana OMV website
Odometer disclosureFederal rules (49 CFR Part 580) require the seller to disclose the mileage at transfer for most vehicles less than 20 model years old; the official disclosure is normally made on the title itself

Louisiana title transfers generally use a notarized act of sale or notarized bill of sale; confirm the current requirement for your parish with the OMV before signing.

Verify before you rely on it

Title transfer practices change, and county offices can have their own requirements. Confirm the current Louisiana requirement with the OMV before you rely on this bill of sale for a title transfer.

Louisiana vehicle bill of sale requirements

Louisiana stands out on notarization: the sale document generally must be notarized. Louisiana title transfers generally use a notarized act of sale or notarized bill of sale; confirm the current requirement for your parish with the OMV before signing. Plan the signing so both parties can appear before the notary together, and bring identification: a bill of sale signed without the required acknowledgment can hold up the title work.

This page does not cite a specific official Louisiana bill of sale form, so check the Louisiana OMV website for current title transfer paperwork. The template here documents the private sale terms; the OMV's own forms govern the registration side.

One rule follows the vehicle regardless of state lines: the federal odometer disclosure (49 CFR Part 580), which requires the seller to disclose the mileage at transfer for most vehicles under 20 model years old. Title documents carry the official disclosure; writing the same reading into the bill of sale keeps every document in the transaction telling one story.

Keep the roles straight: the bill of sale proves the terms of the private sale (who sold what to whom, for how much, in what condition), while the certificate of title transfers ownership in the eyes of Louisiana. You need both sides done correctly, and the OMV controls the second one.

A complete Louisiana vehicle bill of sale identifies the seller and the buyer with addresses, describes the vehicle by year, make, model, and VIN, states the price and the payment method, records the odometer reading, and notes that the sale is as-is unless the parties agree otherwise. Both parties sign and date it, and each keeps a signed copy: the seller to prove the vehicle left their hands, the buyer to prove it arrived in theirs.

How to complete a vehicle bill of sale in Louisiana, step by step

A private vehicle sale in Louisiana goes smoothly when the paperwork follows the handover step by step.

  1. Agree on the terms. Settle the price, the payment method, and what stays with the vehicle (keys, manuals, service records). Put any promised repairs or conditions in writing in the bill of sale itself, because spoken side agreements do not survive disputes.
  2. Verify the vehicle identity. Check the VIN on the dashboard and door jamb against the certificate of title, and confirm the seller is the titled owner. A bill of sale cannot fix a title problem, so catch mismatches before money moves.
  3. Record the odometer reading. Read the odometer together at the handover and write the figure into the bill of sale. For most vehicles under 20 model years old, federal law (49 CFR Part 580) requires the seller to disclose the mileage at transfer, normally on the title itself.
  4. Complete the bill of sale. Fill in both parties, the vehicle description with VIN, the price, the odometer reading, and the as-is statement using the guided form on the main page, then print two copies for the signing.
  5. Sign it properly. Sign before a notary public: Louisiana generally requires the sale document to be notarized. Both parties should appear together with identification.
  6. Finish the title and registration work. Complete the Louisiana title transfer with the OMV: the seller signs the title over, and the buyer registers the vehicle and pays any taxes and fees. The bill of sale supports this paperwork but does not replace it, and the seller should keep their copy until the transfer is confirmed.

How this template works in Louisiana

Answer guided questions about the seller, the buyer, and the vehicle, enter the odometer reading, and download a printable Louisiana bill of sale ready to sign at the handover, in Word and PDF. Both parties should keep a signed copy.

The form, the live preview, and the full guide live on the main Vehicle Bill of Sale page.

Louisiana vehicle bill of sale FAQ

Does a vehicle bill of sale need to be notarized in Louisiana?

Yes, Louisiana generally requires the vehicle sale document to be notarized. Louisiana title transfers generally use a notarized act of sale or notarized bill of sale; confirm the current requirement for your parish with the OMV before signing.

Is a bill of sale enough to transfer ownership in Louisiana?

No. The bill of sale documents the private sale terms; legal ownership transfers through the certificate of title and the Louisiana OMV's registration process. Treat the two as a pair: the bill of sale proves the deal, the title work makes the buyer the owner of record.

Does Louisiana have an official bill of sale form?

This page does not cite a specific official Louisiana form, so check the Louisiana OMV website. The template here documents the sale terms either way, and it is the document both parties keep.

Who keeps the bill of sale after a private car sale in Louisiana?

Both parties should keep a signed copy. The seller uses it to show the vehicle left their possession on a given date (which matters for tickets, tolls, and liability after the sale), and the buyer uses it for registration, taxes, and proof of the price actually paid.

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