Lower your car payment in Louisiana

What’s different about refinancing a car loan in Louisiana

Vehicle titles in Louisiana are issued by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services.

• When a Louisiana certificate of title shows a lien, the certificate is signed by the motor vehicle commissioner and forwarded to the lien holder of first rank, who retains it until the full amount of the mortgage is liquidated and then delivers the title with the release executed to the registered owner, or to the next ranking lien holder.

  Source: Louisiana State Legislature, La. R.S. 32:708 (Issuance of certificates; satisfaction of lien or security interest)

• Recording a lien through Louisiana's electronic lien and title program will not generate a paper title. Once the lien has been satisfied, the lien holder transmits an electronic message to the contracted public tag agent, which allows the lien to be released and a clear title to be printed and mailed to the owner.

  Source: Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, Electronic Title or Lien

• Louisiana's electronic lien and title system is statutory: the department was directed to implement a statewide computer system permitting electronic recording of information concerning the perfection and release of vehicle security interests without submitting or receiving paper title documents, and the Attorney General advised participation became mandatory for lending institutions.

  Source: Louisiana State Legislature, La. R.S. 32:707.2 (Electronic media system for lien recordation and title information)

• Before a secured party in Louisiana may use the nonjudicial repossession procedures, it must send notice to all debtors in writing at their last known address of the right to take possession of the collateral without further notice upon default, including a statement in at least twelve-point type that Louisiana law permits repossession upon default without further notice or judicial process.

  Source: Louisiana State Legislature, La. R.S. 6:966 (Procedure)

• For those repossession procedures Louisiana defines default as nonpayment of two consecutive payments on the date due, or, where payments are required more frequently than monthly, nonpayment for a period of sixty days. A debtor's oral protest to the repossessor before the collateral is seized constitutes a breach of the peace.

  Source: Louisiana State Legislature, La. R.S. 6:965 (Additional Default Remedies Act, definitions)

• A Louisiana debtor, any secondary obligor, or any other secured party or lienholder may redeem collateral by tendering fulfillment of all obligations secured by it plus reasonable expenses and attorney fees, but only before the secured party has collected, disposed of, contracted to dispose of, or accepted the collateral in satisfaction.

  Source: Louisiana State Legislature, La. R.S. 10:9-623 (Right to redeem collateral)

These are general procedural facts about Louisiana, not advice about your loan. Rules change, and your lender’s own process may add steps — a licensed specialist can tell you what applies to your situation.