The laws regulating motor vehicle operation in the State of Louisiana make it illegal to drive without a valid and displayed Louisiana license plate issued by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). The unique combination of letters and numbers is called the License Plate Number. It provides each vehicle with a unique identity number for various security reasons and makes it traceable to an owner in case of any legal breach.
You can easily perform a Louisiana license plate lookup here. You'll be provided with detailed information on the vehicle, including its history report, odometer records, technical specifications, etc. This information is very useful if you are purchasing a second-hand vehicle.
Per the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), in 2021, there were 914 highway crashes and 997 fatalities. With the upsurge of vehicle-related mishaps, you may want to check that the car you are buying is fit to be on the roads by looking up the vehicle's license plate. VinFreeCheck affords you a free and swift Louisiana license plate lookup. Simply insert your license plate number, and select the state the vehicle was registered in. In a matter of seconds, the report will be presented to you.
To conduct a license plate lookup, the vehicle’s title and registration must have been approved by the Louisiana OMV beforehand.
Where Do I Find My Louisiana Plate Number?
At the rear end of the vehicle, you’ll find your vehicle's license plate. Inscribed on it are a blend of letters and numbers written in boldface, representing your license plate number. Alternatively, you can get this information from the registration certificate issued by the Louisiana OMV. For confirmation, you can visit any Louisiana OMV office near you.
How Do I Get A License Plate in the State of Louisiana?
In Louisiana, your vehicle’s title and registration must have been approved and your certificate handed to you in order to acquire a Louisiana license plate. Upon completion of vehicle registration, you can proceed to get a certificate through any of the following means:
- Visiting a local OMV office
- Through mail; you must first make a license plate request through the LA OMV website; thereafter, you can mail your application materials to the Louisiana OMV headquarters located at 7979 Independence BLVD, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
To successfully apply for license plates, vehicle owners must submit the following documents:
- A completed Application form
- Vehicle’s current certificate of title
- A copy of the vehicle’s security agreement or financial statement (if applicable)
- Vehicle’s bill of sale or manufacturer’s statement of origin
- Lien release (if applicable)
- Proof of Auto insurance
- Proof of photo identification
- Proof of all required fees
Following the purchase of the car, you are given 60 days in which you are expected to apply for a Louisiana license plate. You will receive the metal plate alongside a sticker which you must attach to the plate. This sticker displays the expiration date of the plate. The law requires that vehicle owners display the license plate on their motor vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers.
In Louisiana, front plates are not necessary; what is required is that the license plate is clearly displayed at the rear end of the vehicle.
What Are the Different Types of Plates?
Standard: A standard plate will be given out if you do not express a preference. These license plates came into existence in 1915 and, following Louisiana law, are attached at the rear end of the vehicle. They come with blue lettering imprinted on a white background. The state name is found across the top in a deep red color, which led to it being nicknamed ‘the "lipstick plate".
Personalized: These plates afford car buyers the benefit of selecting or customizing license plates to suit their taste and preference.
If you decide on a personalized plate, you will be required to choose what should be written on it. This could come in the format of a phrase, a quotation, or distinctive writing. You could also carry out a mix and match of letters and numbers. There are a few guidelines to follow when picking out a unique license plate number:
- You can have up to 7 characters printed
- For motorcycles and vehicles for handicapped drivers, the length is only up to 6 characters
- You cannot use any vulgar language or profanity
- Apply a mix of letters, numerals, and spaces
Make sure the writing on your plate is permissible by the general public and the government, as the government has the right to ban plates that go against what is acceptable. You can order and make payment for your distinctive car number online, via mail, or by visiting the local OMV office.
If your personalized plate is approved, you can proceed to make payment. Personalized license plates in Louisiana cost $25. You will also be required to pay an administrative fee of $3.50, as well as a handling fee of $8.
Specialized: This variety of plates is targeted toward creating unique plates for organizations, charitable groups, etc. These organizations or groups may have a unique style or design of plates, and the criteria for this style may vary from state to state.
Individuals with disabilities are equally given leverage to apply for handicap permits that give them legal rights to park in handicapped spots. To be eligible for a handicap permit, you must show that you indeed have a disability.
As a member of any of these groups/organizations, you may be allowed to apply for any of the following:
- Universities or college vehicles
- Persons with disabilities
- Antique cars
- Military license plates
- Organizations
You may also be required to make a donation when applying for a specialty plate.
What is in the License Plate Lookup Report?
A license plate lookup provides you with relevant data on the vehicle you intend to purchase or have already purchased. Information you will be able to access includes:
Market value: This prevents you from overpaying by providing you with an estimate of the true worth or market value of the car if you intend to buy it.
Vehicle specifications: You may be interested in knowing the vehicle’s make, model, and VIN before you purchase the car. This report gives you detailed facts on the vehicle’s primary and performance-related attributes.
Accidents records: This checks if the car being looked up has been involved in any reported accidents. There could be underlying faults with the car due to accidents, making it risky to be on the roads. This report helps car buyers make a more informed decision.
According to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), there were 762 crashes and 828 fatalities in 2020, and 914 highway crashes that led to 997 deaths in 2021.
Junk/salvage title check: This tells you if the car has been damaged and is therefore considered a ‘total loss’ by an insurance company.
Odometer record: You can find out if the odometer has ever been tampered with. Sellers sometimes tamper with the odometer to deceive the buyer into thinking that the vehicle has been driven for less than it was. This report protects you from odometer fraud.
Lien records: Provides information on whether the car has been used in a lease, as collateral for a debt, as a rental car unit, etc. A car dealership is legally required to clear off existing liens before selling the car to you, but in the case that they do not, this report will let you know.
Previous owners: Gives you comprehensive information on the number of owners the vehicle has had, and the duration of ownership for each owner. This information helps you determine whether the vehicle has been overused, and therefore if it’s fit enough for the road.
Flood records: This informs you of any previous damage to the car caused by floods. Intense weather conditions such as this are capable of destroying a car. Sometimes, these faults may not be visible and you may not even be informed beforehand by the vehicle seller. With this license plate lookup, you can access this information.
In recent years, Louisiana has been the worst hit state by flooding in the US. In 2016, Louisiana suffered from what the International Relief Teams (IRT) termed the worst natural disaster to hit the US in recent history. It is therefore good to know if the car you're checking might have suffered significant flooding damage, and whether it was repaired or otherwise.
Why Should You Get the Report?
In many cases, you may be protecting yourself from fraudulent activities by conducting a license plate search. The report obtained from this license plate search is an invaluable resource for making wise car-buying decisions. If a car dealership intentionally fails to disclose crucial information on the condition and performance of the car, a license plate report will reveal these facts to you.
A commonly reported problem is that of odometer fraud, but this can be avoided by leveraging online research tools like the VIN Free Check license plate lookup, which gives you extensive and verifiable information from reputable sources like the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).
Vehicle look-ups aren't restricted to vehicles personally owned; it even transcends look-ups for a suspicious vehicle on the road, or out of curiosity to look up a car you might like.
A 2019 report published by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reviewing car theft data from 2018, revealed that of the 748,841 vehicles stolen that year across the country, Louisiana numbered 11,536 vehicles. In 2021, the Insurance Information Institute revealed that 12,400 vehicles were stolen that year. There seems to be a rise in vehicle theft each year, and car-buyers are advised to adopt preventive measures, including using a license plate lookup.
Is It Legal To Lookup A License Plate?
Yes, it is. We do not give out the private information of the vehicle owner which conforms with the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)’s restriction on disclosing private information of a car owner. Moreover, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) grants individuals the right to access information collected by the government.
If you have suspicions over a certain vehicle you see, don't hesitate to perform a quick look up. VinFreeCheck guarantees you 100% reliable data taken from officially registered sources such as NMVTIS. Go ahead and run a free check on that vehicle!